


Fire and Ice

by Amieari



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Pining, Slow Build, bcs she's actually awesome, but no Mai bashing!, eventual sokka/zuko, eventually, smart!sokka, snails are faster, so much pining, sokka works at the palace, zukko/mai canon relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-25
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-03-09 00:17:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 34,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3229031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amieari/pseuds/Amieari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sokka receives a gift from the moon. What is it and how is Zuko involved?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue - The Moon

**Author's Note:**

> Just a short prologue to set the stage. Let me know what you think!

Sokka knew he was dreaming because he hadn't been back to the northern water tribe in over a year. He couldn't feel the icy wind that ruffled his hair but he remembered what it felt like. He stood on an icy cliff overlooking the water, wearing his traditional layered pelts and blue dyed clothes, his hair pulled back into his wolftail with the beads of his status and clan hanging by his eyes. His dream body felt light, like he was floating just a little bit.

  
His eyes scanned the horizon, wondering why his subconscious had conjured up this place. It's not like he had fond memories to reminisce on. Even when he returned after the war to help rebuild he hadn't fit in. He wasn't a bender so he couldn't help with physically rebuilding, and they quickly ran out of things for him to look busy doing. And everywhere he went he was reminded of Yue and the night the moon died and was reborn.

  
So why was he here now? Maybe he was just missing ice and snow after living in the fire nation for so long.  
Sokka smiled to himself. No matter where he found himself, there was something about the cold that called to him.

  
“Is that smile for me?”

  
Sokka started and turned, but there was no one there.

  
“Up here, Sokka.” He glanced upwards and then did a double take. The moon was glowing white and a bluish silhouette was becoming clearer. Her skin and eyes unnaturally silver, Yue smiled down on the water tribe man, hands hidden in yards of silk.  
Of course… It was one of those dreams. The ones that left him sad and lonely when he woke up.

  
“It's so good to see you Sokka.” Yue drifted closer. “You are growing into such a handsome man of the tribe.” She briefly brushed his cheek with cold hands that caused a tingle where they touched. “I know I haven't said this before but thank you. For everything you've done for my people.”

  
Sokka boggled. This was not like any other dream he'd had! This felt more like a conversation… And why was he so self aware?

  
“What am I doing here?” He asked.

  
“I wanted to have a conversation and this is the only way now.” Yue seemed sad. “not even you can hear me when I am the moon” she teased.

  
“I've tried!” Sokka said earnestly, gazing into her shining eyes. “I used to talk to you for hours at night.”

  
Yue blushed. “That's very sweet.”

  
Sokka seemed to realize how sappy he sounded and blushed as well.

  
“I had to see you before your birthday celebration.” Yue went on. “I have a gift to give you, but I need to know if it's wanted before I do.”

  
“Anything you want to give me, I want to receive.”

  
“This is not something to take lightly. It will change the rest of your life.” Yue was serious despite Sokka’s flirtatious smile. “Sokka, the ties you have made with the fire nation, how strong are they?”

  
What a strange question. Sokka paused and gave it some thought in deference to Yue’s gravity.

Fire nation? Well of course there was Zuko. They were friends, but closer. Like family almost. Except not. The young Fire Lord was busy with his new wife and running the country, so they didn't have much time for socializing. But Sokka knew Zuko would be his friend til the end. And okay if he was really honest with himself he wished they could be more. But that ship had sailed when Zuko got married and Sokka was not going to mess with that. He was happy. Mostly.

  
“Very strong,” he said. “I count the Fire Lord as one of my best friends.”

  
Yue nodded. “And if you had the choice would you protect him in any way possible?”

  
“What's wrong with Zuko?” Sokka asked, startled.

  
“He is fine. What is your answer?”

  
“Of course I would.” Sokka frowned. “It's not even a question. And he'd do the same for me.”

  
Yue smiled her gentle smile. “Then my gift to you is this. When you need to, you will have the power to save your friend.”

  
“Um. What does that even mean?” Sokka was on edge.

  
“You will see.” Yue smiled again and slowly embraced the confused young man, icy cold tendrils of silk wrapping around them both. “I'm glad to have known you, Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe.” And she kissed him, cool lips and cold breath on his face. Sokka felt as though his temperature was dropping with every brush of her skin.

  
“Yue….”

  
“Take my gift and use it well.” A final kiss. “Farewell Sokka. Go to him.”

  
Sokka could feel her ice settle into the very heart of him, pumped through his body until he was tingling all over. The silks blinded him as they were pulled away and when he could see again he was alone, standing on the cliff, breath puffing in big white clouds.  
What in the name of the moon and ocean?  
And then he woke up.


	2. The next day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is small but I just wanted to get something else up in good time. :) it's not easy with a toddler who thinks they own all electronic devices lol. Next chapter will be longer and actually move the story forward.

Chapter 1

 

The day began uneventfully enough. Sokka woke with a headache and a fuzzy feeling in his mouth. He'd been pulling late nights lately, working on policies and plans with different council members and Zuko. He rubbed his eyes, turned his head and yawned. The sun hurt to look at so he left his palms over his eyes as they adjusted.

  
Wait. What? Sun?

  
Sokka dropped his arms and looked out his window. The sun had crested over his window ledge and was shining directly in his face, a sure sign that it a lot later than it should have been! He flung his bedclothes off and ran to his closet, pulling out the first clean outfit he saw (fire nation red) and dressed as quick as he could. He was out the door in minutes, still hopping along trying to pull his boots on.

  
His stomach rumbled as he ran and Sokka sighed. _I'm sorry stomach,_ he thought. _There's no time… And I'm pretty sure breakfast is over. Let's not piss off the cook again._

  
The Fire Lord’s cook couldn't firebend, but Sokka was mostly sure he had wanted to the last time he had been late. Well, Zuko had warned him, to be fair. The water tribe man had been sure his baby blue eyes could make anybody's heart melt, just a little. Turns out the cook was impervious to both Sokka's saddest face and his stomach rumblings.

  
He ran through the halls until he arrived outside an ornate door. Skidding to a halt, he brushed his clothing and hair to smooth it down before slowly and quietly opening the door. He slipped inside, letting the heavy door fall shut with its own weight when it caught the back of his foot. He let out a yelp and the door finished closing with a bang. The rumbling of voices died down and a hush fell over the room. Sokka faced the large oblong table full of council members with a lopsided grin. _Please work this time, magic blue eyes!_

  
“Sokka!” The Fire Lord’s voice came from the shadowed end of the long table. Sokka made his way confidently to an empty chair near the head of the table, nodding at some of the glares he got on the way. Zuko smiled at him when he settled himself, then turned to another man to his left. “You were saying, councilman?”

  
The man cleared his throat and launched into his argument, others joining in.

  
Sokka felt a nudge at his knee. Looking down, he saw a hand holding out a bun to him under the table. _Oh spirits, yes!_ He took the bun with a small happy sound. The Fire Lord gave all pretences of listening to his council, but Sokka saw the small quirk of his lips. The sneaky bastard.

  
Sokka bumped his knee in a thank you and set about devouring the bun as quickly as he could without anyone noticing.  
The meeting ran through lunch and would have continued past supper as well but Zuko stood and called a halt. Sokka gratefully stretched his arms and leaned back in his chair. He liked being the plan guy, he did. And he liked helping get things done. There was so much to do in the Fire Nation, he was where he could help the most. But Spirits if he didn't get tired of meetings with this council, who blew more hot air around than plans. Literally. When they got heated up in discussion the ambient temperature rose. Sokka sometimes wondered if the country's temperate climate had less to do with geography and more to do with it's people’s tempers.

  
Council members filed out of the room around him, but Sokka sat and relaxed. Zuko sat too, shuffling scrolls into neat piles before sitting back and letting his Fire Lord mask slip, just a little.

  
“Thank you for not making me have to sit through that by myself.” He sighed. “I was just about to send someone to drag you in here.”

  
Sokka laughed. The vaguely unsettled feeling he had when he woke up was in the back of his mind, but he let it go in favour of spending a few minutes in the company of one of his best friends. Zuko looked a little haggard, if you knew where to look.

  
“I didn't mean to sleep in,” he snorted. “But after sitting through that I wish I'd slept longer." He rubbed his eyes tiredly and when he looked back at his friend, Zuko grinned and plucked at his sleeve. 

  
“Red suits you,” 

  
Sokka looked down at himself. Oh yes. The fire nation outfit he got for himself when he first got here, to try and blend in a little bit with the council and in general. That lasted all of a day. His wolf tail and eyes and skin gave him away within seconds of talking to people. He had no idea how they lasted so long, camouflaged on Ember Island. After that first day he put it back in his closet and it rarely made appearances. Why hide something he was proud of anyways?

  
“Fire Nation’s rubbing off on me, I suppose” he said nonchalantly, picking at his sash. When he looked up, Zuko's face looked a little flushed.

  
“Well,” the Fire Lord said, clearing his throat. “Let's go to dinner.” He stood up and started walking, not waiting for the water tribe man. Said water tribe man quickly matched his stride and grinned like an idiot.

  
“Aaah. Food. How I've missed you, my darling.” He pretended to hug the air, and did a little spin. The fire lord snorted.

  
“You'll never change,” he teased. “We'll be 50 and you'll still be an idiot.” Despite his words, Zuko had a fond look on his face.

  
“Actually, your highness, I think I've matured quite a bit for my age.” Sokka raised his nose in an indignant sniff. Then paused. “Oh who am I kidding. I'm 20 and can't even wake up on time.” He pushed through the next set of doors, letting the aroma of well cooked food waft through. “Good thing I'm smart. And have good friends.” He bumped shoulders with Zuko, grinning. “Thanks, by the way, for this morning. If I'd had to wait until now to eat I might have passed out by lunch!”

  
Zuko smiled his secret smile, the real one that only his friends could see. “You're welcome.” He turned to the other youth and seemed to be about to say more when his eyes caught something across the room.

  
“Sorry, Sokka. I've got to go.” Sokka glanced back and saw Mai entering, a frown on her face. _What’s new?_ He sighed under his breath. “Hey. What are you up to later?”

  
“Nothing. Possibly sleep.” Sokka kept his voice light.

  
“I think I'm going to be sparring later. If you wanted to. Spar I mean. With me. Later.” Zuko seemed oddly hesitant.

  
“Yeah. Of course. Always.” Sokka smiled and then his friend was gone. He watched for a couple minutes, as Zuko embraced her and kissed her cheek. Mai didn't return the embrace, and their whispered discussion seemed strained. A big part of him bubbled with joy at this, but was over ridden by the part of him that didn't want to see Zuko hurt, ever. He felt bad for hoping right after the feeling appeared. If Zuko loved her, he did not wish heartache on him. No matter his selfish thoughts.  
Sokka didn't let himself think about it any more and contented himself with loading his plate. He also didn't give any more thought to the strange dream that had made him late this morning.  
But he probably should have.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry. :) thank you to everyone who encouraged me to continue. I know it's been months and your words must have seemed to be cast into the darkness... But they brought me back and are my muse. <3 so thank you.

Chapter 2

 

Later that evening, Sokka strapped his practice sword to his belt and made his way to one of the larger palace courtyards. He couldn't shake the uneasy feeling from the morning, it had started to settle in his gut like ice. Something wasn't as it had been. Going on instinct, he made a quick stop on the way to grab a few scrolls from his "office" and the latest hawk messages he had yet to sort through. He was early for Zuko anyways, he might as well get some work done to settle his mind. 

The courtyard they had chosen was green and lush. There were tiny lanterns along the building on all four walls and a concrete bench near the middle. Sokka sat down and spread out his first scroll. As he worked, a bit of peace fell over him. This is where he shined. Information was taken in and like some giant three dimensional chess board, the pieces, people and situations were placed in ordered formations in his mind. He could manipulate parameters and test out scenarios until one sang to him. When he followed the correct series of moves and placements it was like a key and lock; suddenly everything was clear and bright and open to him. He loved that feeling, the puzzle and the denouement. 

He worked quietly, hunched over the scroll in front of him, scribbling furiously. The rest of the world disappeared as the ideal strategy unfolded in his head and was quickly scribed on paper. Sokka wasn't sure how long had passed since he'd sat down, but when he let his pen drop and sat up his muscles protested the movement. He stretched his fingers and his back, arching gracefully. A cough startled him into spinning around. Zuko was standing behind him, slightly silloetted by the lanterns behind him. 

"There you are!" He said cheerfully. 

Zukko looked conflicted, which made Sokka concerned. When the fire lord came around to the other side of the bench, he quickly made room, packing up scrolls and quills. As his friend sat, he noticed something else. Zuko's beloved swords weren't strapped to his back. Sokka frowned. 

If he'd been a more sensitive or cautious man, Sokka would probably have stayed silent, letting his friend sort out his thoughts before asking questions. But then again, if Sokka had been that kind of man, he probably wouldn't have this particular friend at all. 

"What's wrong?" He asked. 

Zuko let out a great gusting sigh and leaned back on his palms. 

"Mai... is pregnant."

Sokka felt sucker punched. A hundred little things flashed through his head; how she wouldn't touch wine, how she seemed to never eat, how she was ill all the time, how she snapped at everyone and especially Zuko. ... Oh. 

"Oh."

Zuko's sharp golden eyes took in his reaction, and Sokka was sure his shock and revelations were clear on his features. He had never learned to mask his feelings, because it had never mattered. 

"That's... That's great, buddy. Really great." he smiled, a bit forced. He was happy. He was. This is what Zuko needed, an heir and the start of a happy family. His mind placed a small black haired bundle in Zuko's arms and his smile became less forced. "You're gonna be an awesome dad" and he meant it. He clapped his friend on the shoulder and then pulled him into a tight embrace. Zuko let out a half laugh and was smiling when Sokka let him go again. 

"I... Thanks. Yes it is great. I.. Couldn't say anything. She swore me to secrecy." Zuko huffed a laugh. "It was killing me! And then when you got that hawk from Katara last month with her news and you were so happy I didn't want to compete with that and Agni I'm so glad you know because keeping a secret from you is the hardest thing I've ever done." 

Sokka laughed with his friend but mentally agreed. The secret he still kept had almost taken on a life of its own. Jealousy clawed at his heart. Before, when he thought Zuko and Mai were having relationship troubles he had felt a small welling of hope. Now that he was faced with his friend, fairly glowing with his happy news, Sokka had to mentally close that chapter. Because what kind of heartless jerk would he be to begrudge the fire lord this happiness? If anyone ever deserved this chance, it was the man in front of him. 

Caught up in bittersweet feelings that were threatening to turn melancholy, Sokka swept his friend into another hug. And if he squeezed just a bit too hard, he figured he'd be forgiven. 

"So," he said, standing up and sweeping scrolls to the ground. "Do you actually want to spar or can I treat you to a congratulatory drink?" 

"Spar. Then drink." 

Sokka let out a bark of laughter. 

"How are you going to spar without your swords, my lord?" He teased. Zuko smirked. 

"Watch this."

Zuko held one hand out and stared at it. Sokka waited. The fire lord took a deep breath and his eyes flashed open, just as fire leapt from his hand. It didn't shoot out wards, but created a long straight, sword like column above his hand. Zuko reached out and gripped the fire sword like it was real metal and met his friend's shocked expression with a smug one. 

"Apparently you've been keeping more than one secret from me." Sokka grinned. Zuko swung the sword in a downward arch, smiling that crazy smile that used to mean he wanted to set someone on fire. Sokka unhooked his own practice sword and held it in position. It looked vastly inadequate. 

"I'm not going to win this one, am I?" He mumbled. Zuko took the opportunity to strike first, his fire sword creating sparks where it touched Sokka's metal sword. There may or may not have been a little bit of melted steel in its wake. 

"Hey!" Sokka pouted. "Can't you turn that thing down? I like this sword!"

 Zuko just laughed. 

"Blasted pyromaniac Firebender," he grumbled and tried to get past the flaming sword. Even with a regular sword (or two) Zuko's defence was impeccable so most of the duel was spent with Sokka dodging and trying to avoid having anything set aflame. They fought for a while, enjoying the dance. Slowly Sokka gained more confidence and met the fire sword with parries from his own sword, and shockingly it stayed intact. Wether that was due to Zuko's fire control or Sokka's timing was irrelevant. Both men had wide grins and sweat sheens on their foreheads. Zuko pushed his advantage and the other man was forced to step backwards to avoid tongues of flame. Again Zuko struck, eyes wild with reflected fire. Sokka stepped back again but this time his foot landed on a loose scroll and time seemed to slow to a crawl. With startling detail he saw the flaming sword follow his fall, Zuko's eyes wide, expecting a parry that never came, mouth starting to open in a shout. Instinct brought Sokka's arm up to protect his face even though with time running like molasses he had time to realize just what a mistake that was, and then the fire sword struck. 

A loud hiss signalled the return of regular time. Expecting to feel pain and startled at its absence, Sokka opened his eyes and met Zuko's equally startled ones. His arm from shoulder to wrist was encased in ice, a large part in the middle almost completely melted where the sword had presumedly struck. Sokka flexed his hand and marvelled that he couldn't feel the cold. It was like his arm was encased in armour not ice. He moved his elbow and it shattered. 

"What in the world?" He whispered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. :) but it's either posting the chapter tonight as is, with cliffhanger, or waiting another few days for the rest. Expect updates more frequently. ;)


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

 

Sokka marveled at the dusky sky with scattered stars above his head and matched his breath to the man lying beside him in the short soft grass. Then he raised his left hand, silhouetting it against the sky. It looked like a normal hand. It felt like a normal hand. He frowned. It felt like the appendage had betrayed him somehow.

"So you're certain you were tested for bending when you were little?" The rumbling of Zuko's quiet voice beside him prompted him to drop his hand back down and glare at the brightening stars.

"Yes I'm sure." he grumbled. And he was. It had actually been a bit of a sore point for years, that his sister had ended up with the magical powers needed to keep their village safe and he hadn't.Of course, he had found ways to use his own strength and brains to do the same, but it had rankled. Not to mention it had propelled said baby sister into a role more dangerous than he would have liked.

"Do you feel anything? When I first discovered the fire inside me, I felt warm inside for weeks before. It was like it was waiting to be let out. I had the most amazing dreams." Zuko's voice was still hushed, and strangely intimate.

The icy pit in his stomach that had been heavy all day roiled. Sokka gripped his middle and grimaced. Something wasn't right. Or rather, something wasn't the same as it had been yesterday. He closed his eyes. Then opened them and rolled his head to glance at Zuko beside him. The motion brought the bright face of the moon into his field of vision and it was like a catalyst. Suddenly he remembered the vivid dream from last night; the ice, the cold, and Yue's smiling face. He gasped.

"Oh shit," he whispered.

The water tribesman sat up suddenly, causing Zuko to glance at him sharply. He vigerously rubbed his stubbly cheeks, eyes wide, then stared at his palms. He couldn't get his hands to stop shaking.

_When you need to, you will have the power to save your friend._

He was in so much trouble.

"Sokka, look. It's not a huge deal. Lots of people get missed with the first screening." Zuko said not knowing the true source of his friend's distress. "Granted you are a little old even for late onset.."

"heh heh heh. Um. Yeah. Late onset. That must be it." Sokka suddenly gave a huge theatrical stretch and a yawn. "Y'know Zuko. I know I said I would treat you to drinks, but I'm so beat." He glanced at his friend. "Would it be okay to postpone the celebration?" Zuko looked like he was trying to hide his disappointment but nodded.

"I should get back to Mai," he admitted. Then reached out and gripped Sokka's bicep. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," The water tribesman smiled his best Sokka smile, but refused to laugh. He wasn't sure it wouldn't sound half crazed. The Fire Lord let his hand rest where it was while he searched his friend's face.

"Okay," He huffed. "Tomorrow I'll put you in touch with a bending master and we'll get this sorted out. Try not to worry."

As he picked up the scattered scrolls and said his farewells, Sokka's mind was reeling. His place in the universe as the plan guy, the weapons guy had been knocked on it's end. A water bender? It couldn't be. He held up one hand, and tried to copy a couple of the movements he'd seen Katara do a thousand times. Nothing happened. Nothing felt different. He frowned. He thought back to the moment the icy armor appeared on his arm but there was nothing there either. Just a moment of panic as the fire came closer, and Zuko's shocked face.

He pushed his chamber door open and tossed the scrolls on his desk. Utterly exhausted, he fell onto his bed and buried his face in the sleeping furs he refused to relinquish despite the heat. If his dream was not a dream and he had sudden and mysterious powers thanks to his ex girlfriend the moon... then that means...

His head snapped up.

That means something is going to happen to Zuko.

 

***

 

That night, Sokka tossed and turned and stared blankly at the walls of his chambers for hours. When the sun peeked through his window, he was up and dressed and sitting in a pile of finished scrolls. Taking a couple that still needed review or possibly a second opinion, he made his way to breakfast. He passed a few councilors on his way and there were a few more still eating. The water tribesman edged his way past their groups, not wanting to get caught up in random policy or strategy debates. Choosing a seat in a corner of the room with empty seats all around, he sat and spread out a scroll.

Chewing on some toast and engrossed in reading, he didn't hear the footsteps approach him until another body abruptly sat down beside him. Sokka startled and dropped his toast, head coming up to meet golden eyes.

"Good morning," Zuko seemed hesitant, which wasn't like him and forced Sokka's full attention to his friend.

"Morning." He held out some toast to the other man but Zuko refused.

"I talked to one of the master fire benders last night. He says only a master of the same element would be able to help. Do you think Katara would come?"

"I don't know. I guess it depends on where she is and if Aang will let her ride Appa six months pregnant." Sokka laughed, imagining Aang trying to convince his sister she needs to "take it easy". Zuko's half-grin told him some of what he was thinking made it onto his face.

"You should go to her." Zuko looked like this was the last thing his mouth should be saying. "I mean.. why don't you take a couple weeks and go and see them. You can figure out what's going on and spend some time with your sister." He glanced down to the scrolls the other man was reading, and then back up into Sokka's eyes. "It will be hard to fill your shoes, but I think we'll survive. Somehow."

And Sokka knew he wasn't even kidding. Because, hello. Genius. Who keeps things running.

It was a good plan. It was a plan that made sense. Except that according to Yue's dream.. thing.. something was going to happen to the Fire Lord. Or is happening. Sokka had no idea because the dream hadn't come with a time frame. Just a warning.

But she hadn't said anything about not involving Zuko.

"Okay. Here's the thing. I have something pretty important to talk to you about. But it's a secret." Sokka leaned in as he talked. "I think I might know a little bit about what's happening. But if I tell you, you can't call me crazy. Deal?"

"Why would I call you crazy?" Sokka just stared harder. "Okay okay. Deal."

"You promise?"

A gusty sigh. "Yes. I promise. What is it?"

"Well I had this dream." Sokka started, then silence.

"Sokka -"

"Shush. I'm telling it. I'm just thinking of the most not-crazy way." He moved his chair so he could lean in a little farther. "Well. This dream I don't think was actually a dream. Do you remember Yue? From the Northern Watertribe?"

"The woman who turned into the moon?"

"And my girlfriend. Um. Ex girlfriend I guess. Anyways, she was in my dream that wasn't a dream."

"Okay." Then ".... And?"

"She said she had a gift for me. For my birthday. Then she asked me about you." He glanced at his friend, who looked surprised. "She asked if I had the choice to protect you, would I. Of course I said yes because we're friends."

"I would do the same,"

"That's what I said! Anyways. She goes "take my gift and save your friend" and all of a sudden I feel frozen, like there's ice in my veins. And then I wake up." Sokka finished with a flourish. His friend was rubbing his forehead.

"So. Let me get this straight. You think your dead ex girlfriend-"

"She's not dead! She's the moon."

"... You think your ex girlfriend, who is the moon, gave you some sort of powers to save.. me?"

"Yes! Exactly!" Zuko gave him a look, and Sokka hurried on. "No look. It makes sense. I mean, if I was actually a water bender suddenly, I would be bending water. Not having ice appear. And when Katara was first learning, she could feel the water everywhere. It was like a sixth sense or something. I don't feel any of that. I don't feel anything." He stopped for a breath. "Honestly, I know it sounds crazy. But how do we even know how or why the spirits choose to do things?"

"You don't feel anything?" Zuko demanded.

"No. I don't feel any different. And I can't make ice appear. I tried last night. Maybe it's more of a life and death sort of thing. Like it's triggered by stress or something." Zuko seemed to deflate a bit but nodded. "But anyways, the point is I can't go see Katara. I don't want to leave here. More specifically, I don't want to leave you. If something really is going to happen, and if I can help, I'm not going anywhere. In fact. I think I should follow you as much as I can."

Zuko just sat and looked at the other man in front of him. Sokka had leaned forward even farther to keep the conversation private. They were almost breathing the same air. There was a space of tension, blue eyes fixed on gold. Both seemed unwilling to break it, then Sokka smiled. Caught in the moment, Zuko smiled back and Sokka knew if he didn't move now he was going to do something stupid like kiss that smile right off his lips because there was nothing more attractive than happy shy Zuko..

"So uh.." He cleared his throat. "So what do you think?"

Zuko sat back and huffed a sigh.

"I think your theory has merit." He began. "But lets take things one step at a time. Lets send a hawk out to Katara and Aang, get them back here. Maybe even if it's not water bending, Katara will be able to help. Or Aang." He glanced at the other man. "As for following me everywhere, are you crazy?"

"What?"

"I have body guards, you know. And plus, you're mostly where I am anyways. I don't think I'm going to be attacked or whatever in my chambers and that's pretty much the only time you're not with me during the day."

"You have a point."

"I always do."

"Fine. I'll wait for Katara and Aang. But you have to promise me you'll let me know if there's anything that's not right or weird or bad or whatever. It could be a clue and if this is actually happening and I'm the one who can help you, you need to talk to me."

Zuko looked vaguely uncomfortable for a moment, and warning bells went off in his head.

"What is it?"

"It's .. nothing. Just some family drama."

Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Seriously? Zuko, your _family drama_ almost ended the world. Spill."

"It's Mai. I know being pregnant is supposed to make you moody, but she barely talks to me." The Fire Lord sighed. "I'm sure it's nothing though. Just like I said, pregnancy or something."

"Okay." Sokka frowned. "But if there's anything else..."

"Yes, Sokka. I heard you." The firebender pushed away from the table and stood up, robes swirling around his ankles. "I'll send a hawk out now. Eat your breakfast, and I'll see you after lunch for another exciting council meeting."

The look he gave Sokka was fond, and the water tribesman found himself basking in it a bit. Before he could recover, the Fire Lord had swept out of the dining hall, three guards who had been posted near the door following in his wake. Sokka sighed and gathered up his scrolls. Time to get more work done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update! :) Thanks to everyone who reviewed! <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara and Aang come to visit.

True to his word, Zuko sent another messenger hawk to Aang and Katara in the Earth Kingdom. Sokka didn't wait for the inevitable lecture he would get for never telling her anything important and sent his own hawk to his sister. 

_Hey Katara. I've got a sort of ~~situation~~ ~~problem~~ ~~issue~~ ... I need your help. I can't even explain in a letter, but I may have started bending. If you're able to visit here any time soon, I'd really like to talk to you about it. Say "hi" to Aang for me. Sokka_

Oh oceans, what was wrong with him. Sokka rolled his eyes. He could put together a treatise on international peace but he couldn't send a quick note to his little sister without sounding like he was ten? He rolled up the message irregardless and attached it to the foot of one of the hawks. After he released the bird, he packed up his pen and scrolls carried on with his day.

Things continued on as they had been. Sokka attended council meetings in the mornings, did paper work or sat beside Zuko as he hosted audiences in the throne room in the afternoons. Zuko spent more and more time with Mai, who was barely seen in public any more. The one time Sokka caught a glimpse of her, she was shrouded in a strange flowy garment and flanked on either side by her courtiers. They hovered beside her like they were waiting for her to fall, but the Lady didn't let any weakness show. Her head was high and her back straight. Only her steps, shorter and slightly uneven, gave any hint as to her true state. Mai was not a weak woman by any means and she hated that her body was betraying her. She took her frustrations out on her help and her husband. 

Sokka steered well clear of her.

They heard within the week that Katara and Aang had agreed to visit. Zuko recieved a warm letter of congratulations on his pending arrival and offers of celebration with spirits they were bringing from the Earth Kingdom. They talked at length about Katara's experience so far and Aang's excitement. Sokka's letter wasn't nearly as long.

_Sokka, we will talk when I get there. Katara_

The water tribesman gave a great sigh, recognizing his sister's "what have you done now" tone in the curt missive. Why was it always his fault? Sometimes things just happen!

They were scheduled to arrive in five days time, so preparations started that day. Rooms were aired out and cleaned. The stables were stocked with grasses and space made for an air bison. Most people in the palace were excited to see the Avatar and his wife and even the walls seemed to vibrate with anticipation. 

\-------------

Sokka made sure he knew what time Katara and Aang were expected. All through the morning meeting and paperwork over lunch he kept a close eye on the time. He turned away his usual brainstorming group after lunch (those guys needed to think on their own sometimes anyways) and even went as far as hiding out in the courtyard to avoid any one else trying to rope him into something. He could see the great clock through a window from his seat, so he wasn't worried.

He really should have been. His first mistake was leaning back on the bench to watch the clouds. His second mistake was to let his mind drift. 

When he woke up, the clock told him he had two minutes to make it across the whole palace if he wanted to be there on time. Cursing himself, Sokka ran.

He was almost there when he heard Appa touch down just inside the palace walls, great gusts of wind rattling shutters and blowing tapestries. Sokka leaned out of the nearest window and saw the tiny figures of his sister and his best friend on the bison's furry back. He kept running, dodging slower moving people (everyone) until he skidded to a halt at the entranceway and propelled himself out and down the stairs.  Aang was just helping Katara down off the high saddle, air bending just enough to buoy her up and keep her balanced. She was huge.

"Wow, Katara! You're huge!"

Aaaand there was the famous brain-to-mouth filter (or rather lack thereof). Zuko winced from his position beside Appa's head and Aang covered his face with his hand.

"Seriously?! I haven't seen you in a year and that's the first thing that comes out of your mouth?!" Katara groused. She was smiling, though. So maybe he wasn't quite as dead as he thought he was. 

"I-I mean, you look great! Glowing! Look, Zuko! Isn't she glowing?!" He babbled.

"Leave me out of this." was Zuko's rejoinder. He was still hanging back near Appa's head, seemingly to feed the great bison some apples, but so obviously keeping his distance until he was sure it was safe. Sokka glared.

Katara just huffed out a little breath and hugged him as well as she could. He wasn't going to lie, her belly felt like there was another person in the middle of their hug. Which come to think of it there actually was. 

"I missed you," She said in his ear. And though he hasn't done 'emotional and touchy feely' with his sister in a long time (maybe forever) it felt really nice when she held him firmly and just a little too long. He didn't even try and lighten the mood with one of his patented one-liners, just enjoyed it. Maybe this is what growing up feels like, he thought.

"I missed you too, Katara." He said into her shoulder. "You really do look good. I wasn't lying about the glowing."

She let out a huff and held him at arms length.

"You look good too." she squeezed his arms. "Who is this handsome rugged water tribesman and where is my dorky brother?"

Sokka actually blushed.

"Er.."

"My turn," said Aang and he was spun around and wrapped in a different pair of arms. And how strange was it to look up a bit to meet Aang's eyes. The avatar was growing like a weed, and he'd filled out a bit. The hug was strong and ended with a firm clap on his back. "I missed you too, Sokka, you have no idea." Then he was clearing his throat and stepping back. His eyes danced like they always did, full of mischief. Sokka smiled back at his best friend, and it was completely and utterly true when he returned the sentiment. Turning, he saw Katara finish greeting Zuko, and then Aang launched himself at the fire lord. Laughing, they landed in a heap on the ground only to be assaulted by Appa's big tongue. 

His heart felt too big for his chest. Minus Topf and his dad, these were the three other people that meant the most to him in the entire world. He honestly couldn't imagine his life, or the world, without them. 

Then Aang air blasted his feet out from under him and he found himself flat on his back with a rough tongue and bison spit all over him. He squawked indignantly and struggled to get up but it was hopeless. Appa could keep him down with one foot. Despite his playful anger though, Sokka was the happiest he'd been in a long time. Aang and Zuko were still rolling around in the dust beside him and Katara smirked down at them all, well out of danger. He turned to his right and Zuko was there, laughing, with the lightest and most care free expression on his face. Sokka knew how hard it was for his friend to let go and enjoy himself, so he grouched and grumbled as expected but made no serious moves to escape. 

Aang finally pushed his bison away and popped up. The other two sat beside him. Zuko's precisely styled hair was a joyful mess, and Sokka could only imagine his wolf's tail's disarray. He pulled the tie out of his hair and grinned at Aang.

"Well that's one way to say hi. I think Appa missed us too." He looked down at his wet and sticky clothing and made a face. "But now I feel like a slobbered chew toy."

"Why don't we go inside. I'll show you to your rooms and we can all freshen up before dinner." Although his voice was even, Zuko had a light dusting of pink across his cheeks. Looking down at his ruined garments, he sighed. Sokka didn't envy him the removal and reinstating of all that finery.

"Sounds good!" Aang held out hands to each of his friends and they made their way inside. 

Sokka bumped shoulders with Zuko while they walked. Catching his eye, he made eyebrows at the fire lord's messy top knot. Said fire lord rolled his eyes.

"Like you can talk," he grumbled, reaching up to remove the metal comb. 

"I'm rugged. Katara said so. That means a bit of mess looks good on me." He puffed.

"I can be rugged," Zuko grumbled.

"No. You really can't." Sokka shook his head. He reached out and ruffled his friend's hair. "You're too pretty."

Oh shit oh shit oh shit. Wait what? Did he just say that out loud?

Pretending nonchalance, he glanced at the fire lord. Zuko's cheeks were even pinker. But he didn't look like he was having sudden epiphanies on discovering Sokka's secret crush that he absolutely can't know about on pain of death. So that was good.

Aang, however, was watching him with sparkling eyes. Oh crap. He tried to glare at the avatar through his panic. Aang, the sadistic jerk, just smiled and turned to Zuko.

"Sokka's right, you really are too pretty, Zuko." He said completely seriously. Sokka ground his teeth. Zuko looked like he didn't know what to make of this topic of conversation and was hoping it would all be over soon. 

"Anyways," Sokka said, a little louder than necessary. "Here's where I branch off. I'll see you guys at dinner!" 

He turned down the hallway and quickened his step, obviously not making a run for it. Just strategic removal from an awkward situation. That's it.

\------------

Dinner apparently was a much more formal affair than anyone had been expecting. When he arrived for dinner, Sokka saw that the long main table in the dining hall was filled with statesmen and diplomats, all eager for a chance to meet the avatar face to face. Great. He sighed, anticipating mindlessly boring political talk and self promotion instead of the nice intimate dinner he craved. This was not at all how he wanted to spend his evening. He took one step into the hall and turned right around to make his escape. Or he would have done if his arm hadn't suddenly been gripped hard.

"No way. If I have to sit through this, so do you." Zuko looked rattled, which never boded well in the great scheme of things. Mai was conspicuously absent from his side. Sokka heaved a great sigh and matched the fire lord's stride as they entered the room. Zuko didn't drop his arm until they were almost at the table, whether for moral support or to keep him from escaping. Either way, Sokka was not complaining. He sat between the fire lord and his sister, Aang on Zuko's other side.

The meal was indeed just as bad as Sokka had envisioned. He was mostly ignored since he saw all of these men and women every day in meetings with the fire lord. He leaned back in his chair and tried to pass the time by thinking about what he was going to do about the knowing smirk on Aang's face when he saw Zuko walk in gripping his elbow. Bloody observant and not at all stupid best friend. The jerk. He couldn't even have a quick word with the avatar without talking over Zuko in between them. He had a sneaking suspicion this might have been on purpose. He glared at his (admittedly delicious) fancy dinner instead.

The meal drug on. Zuko seemed to be trying everything in his extensive diplomatic arsenal to end the evening early to no avail. Sokka considered drowning himself in his water glass. At least in the daily meetings, they had an agenda and were all actively working together on issues brought to the table. This was twenty different men and women all individually trying to make an impression on the avatar. For a bunch of smart people, they were acting pretty foolish. 

Also it was all totally lost on Aang, who looked like he was getting pretty overwhelmed by the many strong personalities in the room.

Eventually, the four friends were able to extract themselves from the lingering debates and make their escape. Zuko lead them to a set of open rooms with a large balcony and had tea sent up. Sokka relaxed into one of the soft chairs, heaving a great sigh. 

"If I ever actually get so caught up in this job that I turn into one of those pompous wind bags, you guys would kick my ass, right?" he grumbled. Katara snorted. "Yeah you're right, sis. I'd kick my own ass." he rubbed his eyes. 

"Very astute, ambassador." Katara teased him. 

"How do you get anything done?" Aang had a bit of a shell shocked look on his face. He had been the centre of attention, after all. Sokka couldn't blame him. "I feel like I've been talking all evening and I haven't actually said  _anything"_

"Usually they're not so bad," Zuko said. "Usually it's just me and Sokka against the hoard. They're not nearly as interested in impressing the two of us."

"Yeah. They think Zuko's too young for the job and I'm too stupid." Sokka chimed in. "There's usually a lot more arguing and a lot less fawning all over us."

Zuko rolled his eyes.

"They do not think you're stupid." he said. "How could they? You can logic circles around them. They don't listen to you because you're not Fire Nation and you're not a bender."

"Because that makes it so much better," Katara said in a huff. Before his sister could go into one of her "what's wrong with the Fire Nation" rants, Sokka cleared his throat.

"Speaking of bending," he started.

"Right!" Aang perked up. "So Katara said you said you might be bending?" He looked far to excited at the prospect.

"I don't think so, actually. But something weird did happen." He quickly told them about his dream, what Yue said to him and what happened when he and Zuko sparred that one evening. "But it hasn't happened again. Even if I try and make something happen, it doesn't, and I don't feel any different."

"That's so awesome," Aang had a huge grin on his face. "Ice armour! I wish we'd thought of that when we were fighting the fire nation... no offence, Zuko."

"None taken." The fire lord mumbled from where he was sprawled on a couch.

Katara was quiet for a bit, thinking.

"Actual ice armour wouldn't work, Aang." She finally said. "Ice isn't flexible enough to be of any use when you're moving around and especially not fighting. There would be no movement, just a solid block of ice. As a shield, yes. Not armour." She looked at Sokka again. "What was it like?"

"Um.. It was cold. And it stopped Zuko's crazy fire sword-"

"Which was also awesome!" Aang interrupted. Sokka grinned.

"Which was also awesome. Anyways, it did move with me. But... I wasn't really paying much attention to the details, I was a little bit hung up on the fact that ice had just materialized all over me." Sokka shrugged.

"We have to replicate the exact circumstances and see if we can't get it to reappear." Katara mused. "If you can't tap into anything on your own, we need to provoke it again so that you can feel what it feels like when it's activated. Whatever it is. You're right, it does't sound like any bending I've ever heard of, but I don't know what else it could possibly be at this point."

Sokka glanced at Zuko. The fire lord looked beat. Part of him wanted to get this thing started as soon as possible, but the bigger part of him wanted to protect his friend. Even from himself. Zuko would need quite a bit of energy to create and control the fire sword again, and he looked like he was going to pass out on the couch. 

"We can try that tomorrow, Katara." He said. "You and Aang should get some rest tonight too. Especially you. We can meet after the morning meeting."

"Look at you being all mature and sensible." She grinned. "Never thought I'd see the day."

"Hey! I'm plenty sensible. And mature. Ask anyone around here!"

Aang coughed, and made a subtle pointing gesture. Both siblings looked to where he pointed and saw that Zuko had succumbed to slumber. He was curled up on his side, hands under his head, an errant lock of hair across his face. He looked years younger. Sokka wanted to brush that probably incredibly soft piece of hair back behind his ear. 

Aang's face when he looked back up made him realized he'd given himself away. Again. Dammit!

"Katara, head to bed. Sokka and I will carry his eminence to bed." The avatar smiled at his wife.

"No arguments here." Katara got up with difficulty. Then she placed her hand on Sokka's shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll figure this out." She smiled and then waddled out of the room. 

"Shall we?" The avatar grinned, already propping up the exhausted fire lord. Zuko looked like he'd partially woken up with the manhandling, but when they had him standing between them his head rolled to one side and his eyes were closed. Despite delicate appearances, Zuko was heavy enough that Aang did a bit of air bending to lighten their load. It still took an inordinately long time to navigate the endless halls to the fire lord's chambers. The two friends carried the third inside, leaving him in the capable hands of his manservant. 

It only took two minutes after leaving the royal wing for Aang to break the silence.

"Soooo.." He grinned at Sokka. "Mature and sensible, eh?"

Sokka felt his ears heat up.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Jerk."

"Hey! It's not a bad thing!" Aang seemed really sincere. But that hurt puppy look was disconcerting coming from a man taller than he was. "I think that you and Zuko would be... awesome." He grinned.

"It is a bad thing, thank you very much." Sokka retorted. "Because Zuko is married, and I would never do anything to mess with that and why am I having this conversation?!"

"Calm down." Aang frowned. "I know that. But people change. And I've seen how he is around you. I'm not saying you should do anything about it, but don't give up hope either."

"Have you forgotten?" Sokka frowned. "Mai is pregnant. They're keeping it hush hush for a while since she's having issues. That pretty much destroys all hope I ever had because Zuko is not the type to walk away from that kind of responsibility. And honestly I wouldn't like him half as much if he could. So no, it's not a good thing at all, Aang."

Aang draped an arm around his shoulders as they walked, sort of a half hug. 

"That's rough, buddy." 

Sokka snorted. Why was this his life?

"Just.. don't be an ass about it, ok?" He pleaded. "It would really mean a lot to me if you could not be your matchmaking self in this instance."

"I'm hurt!" Aang tried to look offended and failed. Smiling he knocked their foreheads together. "You've got it so bad, man."

"Aang I swear to-"

"Sokka. I won't." Suddenly serious, Aang stopped and faced his friend. "I promise. I can see this means a lot to you and I get that this whole situation is not ideal. I don't want to hurt you or Zuko. So trust me. I won't do anything to mess this up."

Taken aback, Sokka just nodded. 

"Now show me to my room and I'll let you get some rest, Mr.sensible."

Sokka rolled his eyes. Well there goes being serious. 

"Come on, it's this way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has stuck by this story. :)  
> I know it's been a year and I have no excuses. But I do have the rest of the plot planned and brainstormed. It just needs to be written.  
> And I have to thank Avatar:Korra for bringing me back to this universe again. <3 I have a tendency to stray into other fandoms and get stuck. :P
> 
> Review if you can, I'd love to hear from you. (Even if you just say "finally!!" or "about time!!!") ;)
> 
> Thank you everyone for your kudos and reviews. It means a lot!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They try to replicate the duel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Go me!  
> *does happy dance*  
> Okay, two weeks is way better than a year! :D Celebrate the little things lol

The next morning, Sokka woke early and just lay in bed staring at the ceiling. His mind was working overtime, following pathways and calculating results. Only he wasn't thinking about work. He was thinking about each scenario that ended up with him happy and content and in none of them did he and Zuko's paths meet. Friendship was possible, his statistical model said, but anything more meant unhappiness for one or both of them and that was unacceptable. Sokka squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his fists into them hard enough to see stars. 

He would have to suck it up. For the sake of his friendship, he would have to pretend that's all there was because that's all that could ever be. 

He could do this. 

Sokka opened his eyes, ready to take on the day. He threw on one of his water tribe summer outfits, short sleeves and a distinct lack of fur lining, but dyed all in blues. He tied up his hair and sorted his paperwork. His mind, left to wander, tried to mentally organize the meeting that was coming while he pulled on his boots and grabbed his satchel. 

He was out his door and down the hallway before he noticed Zuko shuffling along ahead of him. The fire bender looked the worse for wear, even his topknot was droopy. Sokka felt for his friend, and automatically increased his pace to match. He gave a big smile and nudged Zuko. 

"Hey you,"

Zuko started, but his golden eyes softened when he saw who it was. 

"Thank you guys for last night," Zuko said softly. "I didn't realize how tired I was until I was already asleep. My back also thanks you for not just leaving me on that couch."

"Hey no problem. It's the least we could do." Sokka waved away the thanks. "You looked beat."

"I was," Zuko nodded. Then, "Are you ready for this meeting?" he asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Sokka chirped back, laying his arm across the other's shoulders as they entered the meeting room. 

Zuko was apparently not immune to his (patented) pretty blue eyes because he smiled despite himself. Sokka grinned outright and mentally said farewell to all his well meaning morning resolutions. There's no way he could live without that smile.

He was so doomed.

\-------------

The morning meeting was less than productive. It was like the avatar's presence had turned the whole governing body on it's head. And it wasn't because they refused to do any real work. No. The problem was each individual wanted to make a name for him or herself while the avatar was still in residence, so policies and plans that had had previously scheduled timelines for introduction were all being tabled and pushed through. Unfortunately they were just making a great big mess of everything and nothing was actually being implemented. Sokka wanted to rip his hair out. They were destroying months of planning and paperwork. Zuko tried his best to provide the voice of reason, but he seemed distracted. 

After a particularly loud and forceful advisor completely talked over and dismissed Sokka he turned to his friend with a glare.

"What is up with you today?" He hissed in the fire lord's ear. Zuko heaved a sigh. 

"I was up most of the night," he admitted. "Mai is having a lot of trouble. Her healers don't know what to do and it's gotten serious." 

"What do you mean?"

"You've noticed she's been ill?" Sokka nodded. "It's not normal pregnancy sickness. She's burning up. Every night they have to cool her core again. While she's awake, the energy is dissipated but as soon as she lies down it builds up and becomes too much."

"Is that normal? For fire benders I mean?"

"No. And Mai isn't a bender. But even still it's not normal. Even if she's carrying a bender child, it shouldn't affect her like this. She's got the best healers in the fire nation working with her though." Zuko's eyes were resigned. He wouldn't lift them from the table. "They are keeping it manageable. But it's taking it's toll. And the longer it goes on the worse it gets."

Sokka didn't like the sound of that. His friend looked genuinely worried. And more than that, he was absolutely useless at the moment. 

"Okay. I got you." He half whispered. Then he straightened in his seat and took in the still arguing advisors. He cleared his throat. "Gentlemen. And Ladies." He projected his voice. Conversation stopped and all eyes turned to him, even Zuko's. Sokka himself was just as surprised to hear the note of steel in his voice as he forged ahead. "I think we can all agree this meeting has been counterproductive. And now it's threatening to run well past noon. I know each one of you is truly invested in doing what you think is right to rebuild the fire nation and we are thankful for your efforts. Everyone in this room is passionate about changing the status quo and it shows. But I think the only way we are going to get anything successfully handled and implemented is to have several meetings, addressing each facet separately." He took a breath and let his eyes roam the room. They were all listening. He didn't think he'd ever had all of their undivided attention before. It was a little heady. "Let's start with infrastructure tomorrow morning," He nodded to the advisors for transportation and roads. Three advisors nodded back. He took a deep breath. "Thank you all. Would anyone object if we adjourned at this time?"

He braced himself, but surprisingly no one said a word. There were nods and mumbling but no dissent. Sokka didn't look a gift horse in the mouth and grabbed Zuko's elbow as he stood, making their escape. Once they were out the door and down the hallway, he finally breathed a relieved breath. 

"Wow. I did not think it would be that easy." He laughed. The fire lord was looking at him.

"That was easy?" His friend asked. 

"Easier than letting that meeting drag on." Sokka muttered. "Let's go find Aang and Katara and have some lunch."

\-------------

Aang and Katara were in one of the courtyards (Sokka's favourite one with the stream) eating a picnic when the fire lord and his ambassador found them. Zuko sat on the bench with Katara while Sokka stretched out on the fragrant grass. He took the rice ball his sister handed him and turned his face to the sun. It was always warm here. For someone who had grown up in a land of ice and snow, Fire Country was exotic and tropical. It was funny how he felt so at home here. 

"So how was your meeting?" Aang asked from his perch in a tree. Sokka rolled his eyes. Only his best friend would climb a tree like he was a kid and look perfectly at home there.

"It's over. That's the best part of it." Zuko mumbled.

"A complete waste of time," Sokka added. "Absolutely useless. Sometimes I just want to send all of them to a fire nation village actually needing to be rebuilt and give them hammers and saws and let them experience it themselves. But no. Instead we're arguing about wether it's best to build the mayor's office in the middle of town or attached to his three story villa. And the best part is that until we solve that little dilemma, the rest of the construction is on hold." He fell on his back, arms outstretched. "How does this make any sense?"

Zuko had placed a hand over his face while Sokka ranted, and now he peered out at his friend from between two fingers. 

"I could actually make that happen. We could call it a diplomatic field trip or something." The fire lord raised his head and looked hesitantly elated. "Sokka that's genius."

"I know, right? And that's why you keep me around, your grumpiness." Sokka preened. Aang started to laugh and almost fell out of his tree. Katara just rolled her eyes and pretended she wasn't part of the conversation.

Zuko smirked at his friend. 

"I guess that's better than 'angry jerk'."

 "ANYways," Katara interrupted. "Why don't the two of you walk me and Aang through exactly what happened the night of this infamous duel?"

So Sokka got up and bullied Zuko into position, re-enacting in slow motion the moment he slipped on a scroll and went tumbling backwards, Zuko's fire sword heading right for him. Katara made them show her two more times, and then she nodded.

"Okay. Looks simple enough." She bodily moved Sokka back to his start position. Her brother rolled his eyes.

"I'm not a puppet Katara," he grumbled. The water bender shot him a glare.

"Do you want me to help you with this or not?" 

"Yes..."

"Where is your sword?" She interrupted.

"Um,"

"Never mind. Zuko do you think you could produce that fire sword again?" Instead of answering, the fire bender opened his hand suddenly he was gripping the same fire sword as before. Sokka eyed it nervously. Even though this was just supposed to be a re-enactment didn't make it any less dangerous.

"Okay, places." Katara clapped.

Sokka stood in front of Zuko, pretending to hold a sword. He parried a couple of fake blows from the fire sword and the two performed a couple of easy fencing moves. Suddenly Sokka pretended to fall backwards, and Zuko sent his sword after him. Sokka raised his arm to protect his face... and nothing happened. Zuko's sword stopped before it actually hit him and they held the position while Katara circled them. 

"Hmmm. I think I can see what the problem is." She mused. "Let's try again. I have an idea."

The two men took up their positions again and started to trade imaginary blows. Their foot work was impeccable. Sokka was secretly proud.

Of course, noticing things like that meant he was starting to let his guard down. Around his sister. With an idea.

Next thing he knew, Sokka was being hit in the back with what felt like a tonne of water. He pitched forward into Zuko. Unfortunately, the fire lord had his sword up to parry and also had the same complacent look on his face as his friend. He didn't notice in time what was happening, so when Sokka fell forward, the fire sword was arching into him on an upswing and was clearly going to slice him in half.

Sokka had one moment of _What the actual fuck, Katara?!!_ before he and sword met. 

Just like last time, there was an expectation of pain but instead he felt cooled and protected. There was ice armour over his torso and down his arms. Zuko stepped away, fire sword already gone and the others gathered around. Sokka held as still as he could while his sister and Aang circled him. 

"Interesting," Katara mumbled, poking the armour cautiously. "It's like thousands of tiny little ice scales all working together. Are you sure you're not controlling this?" She met her brother's eyes.

"In all honesty, I have no idea. The only think I was thinking about just before this happened was 'oh shit'. Because you know, I almost died." He glared extra hard just in case Katara didn't get the point. 

Of course his evil eye was totally lost on his sister, who circled him and ignored everything he said. Aang grinned at him, looking him over from head to toe.

"And how cool is this? I call dibs on teaching him water bending!"

"Um no," Sokka shook his head. "Firstly, you're way too excited. I'm not learning to bend while riding the sea creature of the week. Secondly, we don't even know if this is water bending." 

"About that," Katara interrupted. "Can you move for me?" Sokka slowly raised an arm. The armour rippled and moved with him. "Hmm. Just as I thought. Okay." She pushed his arms down. "Follow me,"

She started to move slowly, her posture relaxed and arms loose. She performed basic water bending tai chi, movements graceful and purposeful. Sokka followed the best he could, but he felt awkward. Aang joined them, elegant and light. 

Zuko watched them, arms crossed and eyebrow raised. Sokka shot him a glare.

"Concentrate on your breath, Sokka." Katara said quietly. Sokka took a deeper breath and closed his eyes. He timed his breathing to his sister's (and Aang's since of course he was effortlessly performing this particular exercise). Just as his concentration was starting to float to the rhythm, Katara's voice cut in again. "If you can, look inside yourself and find the ice there. It's still all over you, it hasn't disappeared so your spirit still has a hold on it. Somewhere deep down inside, you will find a meeting of element and spirit. In that place, you will be able to pull and push the water with movements of your spirit. The bodily movements we're doing help to direct the sprit and the element. Just listen to my breathing and follow my movements." Katara continued to drone on, voice even. 

Sokka felt like he was sinking into some sort of standing, moving meditation. His eyes remained closed; he didn't need to see his sister and Aang to know how they were moving, it was the same repeat over and over. And maybe that was the point. Without the visual stimuli disrupting his mediation, his hearing sharpened and his body awareness was magnified. He didn't even notice when Aang stopped his movements to watch, so tied up was he in Katara's breath and energy. Slowly a world of light started to materialize behind his eyes. His breath and hand movements directed the motion of light and shadow like the tide and the moon. 

Sokka felt like the only person in the universe. Connecting to his spirit this way, a way he had never had the opportunity to connect before, was like a dream. Better than a dream, because he was awake and this was really happening. Now, he didn't notice when Katara stopped to watch. He was too tied up in the motion of everything he was. And since Sokka was a man of action, instead of just watching it passively move with his breath, he leaned into his body a bit more and pushed when his hands came forward. The light danced behind his closed eyelids. He pulled back and pushed again.

All of a sudden Sokka felt the overwhelming urge to open his eyes. Not stopping his movements, he let his eyes open slowly. At first he couldn't understand what he was seeing. He still felt like he was inside himself, meditating on motion. Light spun and danced in front of him, iridescent and... wet?

Sokka's eyes popped the rest of the way open and he let out a cry before tripping himself up and falling forwards into a giant puddle of water.

That he had been bending.

He stayed on his hands and knees where he had fallen, panting. Then he turned his head. Katara was looking smug. Aang had a huge grin on his face still and Zuko looked gobsmacked. Sokka felt his own mouth pull into a goofy smile. 

"Um," He whispered. "So.. that happened." 

All of a sudden Aang launched himself at the water tribesman, and they both rolled in the soaking grass. 

"You're a water bender, Sokka!" The avatar crowed, easily catching his friend in choke hold slash hug.  Sokka sputtered and waved his arms indigently but he couldn't hid the ten thousand watt smile on his face. They both ended up on their backs in the puddle. 

"I... I guess I am?"

"Well now that that's settled, we need to start your training." Katara said, leaning over the two men. "And no, Aang. You won't be training him. I will." She glared at her husband. Who sat up in a whoosh of air and gave her his best kicked puppy face. Katara held out for ten seconds, eye twitching. "Fine! You can help." And as she walked away, "Why does that still work on me? Ugh."

Aang jumped up with another puff of air and embraced her. "Because you loooove me,"

"Ocean help me, I do." 

Sokka kept his eyes firmly upward, watching a couple of fluffy clouds and definitely not his baby sister and best friend kissing. His view of the sky was interrupted by Zuko's hand suddenly in his face. He grabbed it and was pulled up with surprising strength. The fire lord still looked a little shocked but he was smiling too. 

"Welcome to.. benderhood?" Zuko teased and Sokka snorted.

"How about 'congrats on moving some water around like it's a big deal'." He added. 

"That too," Zuko laughed.

"Zuko can we use this courtyard to teach the newbie?" Aang asked. "It's pretty much perfect, right Katara? There's plenty of room and a stream running straight through it."

"Yes. It would be ideal." Katara agreed. "If that's okay with you?" She glanced at the fire lord as well.

"Of course. You can start any time. No one really uses this space but me and Sokka, but I'll put the word out to stay away." Zuko nodded to himself.

"We'll start tomorrow." Katara met her brother's eyes. "As soon as you're done your morning meeting."

And that's what they did. Every day, sometimes twice daily, Katara and Aang ran Sokka through movement after movement. Again and again, he practiced, tried, failed and succeeded. He learned fast, but still he had such a long way to go, from twenty plus years of not bending and being spirit deaf, as Katara put it. It was a huge change to suddenly be aware and have access to areas of his own spirit and body he hadn't before. Zuko sometimes came to watch, but more often than not he was with Mai who seemed to be stabilized for now. All in all, life passed in routine for two months.

And then Zuko was almost assassinated.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me. ;D 
> 
> I hope I'm doing alright with the whole "bending theory" thing since there's not that much of it in the actual show. (Some in Korra, which is unabashedly where I've gotten a few of my ideas from). Let me know if it's making sense because it's pretty important to the story. 
> 
> As always, thank you for your comments and kudos. <3 I'm humbled.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The failed assassination (also slight BAMF!Sokka)

The day started for Sokka just like any other.

Up with the sun as usual, then do his morning exercises as prescribed by Water Bending Master Katara. A half an hour of standing post meditation, then curse said water bending master, wobble and fall over. Then off to get ready for his day; a quick cold bath and dressed and on his way out the door just in time to make it to the morning meeting. He met Zuko in the hall like normal. Zuko looked like a zombie, also like normal.

They made their way down the hallway, Sokka chattering away and Zuko nodding at intervals.

"So this is where I'm pretty sure we could have the best team up in the history of team ups," Sokka was saying. "Neither of us would ever have to bathe in cold water again! I would bring the water and you bring the heat! We could be Team Steam!"

Zuko started to nod absently, then stopped.

"You know you're actually the only person in the palace who has cold baths right?" he asked.

"Wait, what?"

"Pretty much everyone else is either a fire bender or has access to one. And the ones that don't just ask for boiling water to be brought to their rooms." 

"Well when you put it like that," Sokka pouted. "Fine. Way to take the steam right out of our team." he nudged the fire lord. "Get it?"

Zuko put his face in his palm and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like 'Agni help me'. It was in that moment with his eyes closed that he lost track of his footing and started to trip up in his robe. He bumped into Sokka on his way down, pushing the water tribesman against the wall. Zuko had fell to his knees, leaving Sokka with an unobscured view of the way they had come. Time stood still. 

There was a masked fire nation citizen a scant metre away (how had he managed to sneak up so close without either man noticing?) and in his hands he clutched a small dagger. In slow motion he widened his stance and his arm drew back as he flew forward. Sokka had just enough time to push off from the wall and intercept the knife before it met it's mark in the fire lord's throat. He gripped the blade with one hand while twisting to the outside, sending the would be assassin stumbling farther down the hall without his knife. He stood panting where he was for a moment, seemingly in shock, then took off down the hall at a sprint.

Sokka ignored the pain in his hand, dropped the knife and ran after him. 

"Sokka!" Called Zuko, up on his feet again and rushing after both of them. 

It was a damn good thing Sokka was fit because the fugitive did not slow for anything. He ran like he had death on his tail.

_Which would not have been far wrong had he succeeded in his goal_ , thought Sokka grimly.

The water tribesman ignored his screaming muscles and the wetness he felt seeping through his clenched fingers. They ran through most of the palace before he could close some of the distance between himself and his quarry. The assassin was starting to get desperate and that was making him sloppy. He ran past people loitering in the halls, knocking into them indiscriminately. Sokka started to close in, arm outstretched in anticipation. His fingers brushed the back of the man's jacket, almost getting a grip before the assassin whipped his body sideways and out one of the narrow windows. Sokka turned to follow, his goal clear.

"Oh fuck no!" came a shout behind him and he was suddenly and firmly yanked backwards by his tunic. He landed hard on his back, arms and legs akimbo,  smacking the solid stone floor with his bad hand. A figure rushed past him, but stopped at the window looking down. Sokka sat up quickly, getting his feet under himself for another try at the window. As though feeling his intentions, the figure turned and his glare cause Sokka to stumble back. It was Zuko, of course, never one to sit idly by in cases of danger. Even when it was his own life on the line. 

The fire lord's eyes blazed. Literally. Okay not completely literally, but Sokka felt like he was one false move away from being incinerated by those fiery gold orbs. And not in a good way.

"WHAT in the name of your ancestors were you thinking?!" Zuko growled. Sokka opened his mouth to reply and was cut off. "You know what, never mind. Obviously you weren't. We're four stories up you idiot!" Oops. "Have you somehow learned to fly during all those lessons with Katara?!"

Of course the answer to that was no. He wasn't even able to water bend well enough to catch himself at two metres never mind ten. He closed his mouth and inched over to stand beside his friend and look down. Far below, there was grisly sight. He let out a breath and faced Zuko again. He thought about making a joke out of it, playing it off as just another of his foibles. He was good at that. But the look in Zuko's eyes hadn't faded, and he caught a glimpse of the red smear of his own blood on the stone floor behind them and suddenly he didn't feel like smiling at all.

"You're right," He began. "I wasn't thinking at all. I just.." How could he put this in words? "I just had to get that guy." Oh that sounds so smart, try again plan guy. He pushed air through his teeth, thinking. "I reacted to the danger without thinking. I just saw the knife heading towards your throat.." He trailed off.

"So you grabbed it with your bare hand?!"

"Better my hand than your throat!"

The glare of fire continued.

"You are going to see a healer right now." growled the fire lord.

"Um. No I'm not. We don't have time for that."

"You will make time!"

"Zuko, listen." stubborn, angry fire lord should not be a turn on. Please stop glaring at me. "We need to figure out what happened. I am, at this time, way more concerned with another assassin lurking around the palace than I am of a flesh wound." which hurts  _so much_ right now, actually. "Let's get the body taken care of and call an emergency meeting of councillors. And Aang and Katara." Zuko looked murderous still. "At which time!" Sokka brought his hand up to cut off his friend. "At which time, I'll let Katara look at my hand." The fire lord subsided, but still didn't look happy. 

"I suppose I can live with that." He grumbled.

"Let's make sure you will." Sokka said under his breath.

Zuko turned, swirling his robes and stepped pointedly over the blood stain on the floor. To the group of people who had converged in the hall, he barked a few short orders and then stalked his way back the direction they had come. Sokka hurried after him.

***

The meeting room was full. The usual councillors were there, along with Aang and Katara, ministers from every corner of the palace, and it seemed like half the palace staff. Security staff and military staff and councillors were talking all at once; the noise was overwhelming. Sokka heard Zuko order a security team to Mai's room before he was surrounded by his staff and security. Sokka was pushed aside, and for once he didn't mind at all. He found Katara sitting a good distance away from the chaos as well, rubbing her belly. He sat beside his sister and wordlessly held his injured hand out to her. Katara shot him a glare. 

"Of course you were involved in all this," She grumbled. "Let me guess, you dove in front of him didn't you." Blue eyes met blue. For once, Sokka found that he couldn't hold his sister's gaze. "Of course you did. Idiot."

Katara pulled some water from her drinking glass, wrapping it around the injury. As the healing light glowed softly, Sokka felt the adrenaline high of the last half hour leave him in a rush. His body was heavy in his chair.

"This cut is deep," Katara frowned. "If you'd waited much longer, I don't know if I could have healed the tendons well enough without immersing you. What did you do? Grab the knife?"

The boneless lump that was her brother couldn't even muster a proper indignant look. Since when had his little sister become so annoyingly observant? He gave a nod in answer. 

She grunted and pushed his hand back.

"There. All done." She let the water drain back into her glass. Sokka grimaced in thanks, and closed his eyes. He could feel Katara holding back her verbal reprimands, if not her glare, and he sent her a silent thanks. They sat in silence while the chaos raged around them. 

After a while, the several conversation threads became a few, then a couple, then finally an ordered discussion centring around Zuko and Aang. Sokka kept his eyes closed and just listened. 

"So let me get this straight," Aang was saying. "This group.. what was it called?"

"The Will of Fire." The Minister of Defence answered.

"This Will of Fire. Okay. So they don't want Zuko as fire lord?"

"I think they've made their views on that clear." Zuko interjected dryly. Sokka smiled.

"But why?" Aang persisted. "Were they supporters of Ozai or what?"

"No." The minister shook his head. "They aren't supporters of any one fire lord. Their position is that Lord Zuko isn't fit to be fire lord because he isn't a strong fire bender."

A chair scraped the stones as Aang stood up in anger.

"Zuko is a fire bending master! Everyone knows that! And he's a great fire lord. He's uniting the nations and making the Fire Nation even stronger!" 

Sokka cracked an eye. His friend was towering over the minister like only a man who was floating a foot off the ground could do. The poor minister looked like he wished he was anywhere else. 

"Calm down, Aang." Zuko spoke up. "They _are_ right in a way."

"What?!" Aang's glare transferred from the minister to the fire lord. 

"I'm not a fire bending prodigy. I never have been." He frowned. "Not like my father, or sister. Or uncle for that matter. Yes, I'm considered a fire bending master, or how else could I have taught the avatar fire bending. But I'm not at their level." 

"If you're a master fire bender, then what's the problem?!" Aang was still agitated.

"I've had to work hard to be where I am." Zuko continued. "And I'm proud of what we've been able to accomplish. But still. If you'd compare me to my father, it would be like comparing Sokka to Katara."

"Hey wait a minute!" Sokka opened both eyes and glared. He was momentarily thrown off by the genuine smile turned his way.

"I was wondering if you'd fallen asleep over there." The fire lord teased.

"Putting aside the obvious flaws in your comparison, what's wrong with not being like Ozai?" Aang argued. "For a while there, 'not Ozai' was pretty much our only goal."

"They feel like the Fire Nation shouldn't have to settle." The minister spoke up. "There are, to be fair, many fire bending masters who are stronger at bending than Lord Zuko. However!" He waved his hands to calm an enraged Aang. "I agree with you! We all know how much the Fire Nation has prospered and will continue to grow under Lord Zuko's reign!"

Aang didn't look appeased, but he sat back down and glared.

"The problem is, we need Lord Zuko. For the good of the Fire Nation. There is no substitute to us, even if it was a stronger fire bending master." The Minister of Resources stood and brought his fist down on the table. "We need to figure out what to do with this situation."

"I say we meet force with force. Flush these cowards out one by one and eliminate the threat!" A General demanded, face red.

"Oh yes, and how would that look?" Aang rounded on him. "Asking for peace with one hand and killing your own citizens with the other?!"

"We can't just ignore what they did!"

"Gentlemen!" Zuko stood between them. "No body is killing anybody. We will come up with a solution worthy of the Fire Nation."  He sat back down, rubbing his temples. 

"What if we can somehow prove to these people that you  _are_ worthy to be fire lord?" Asked Katara.

"Hey, yeah!" Aang nodded. "A contest or something? To show what you can do?"

"I'm not a performer." Zuko frowned. "And I don't have time for this at any rate. I'm in meetings from dawn to dusk."

"If they haven't been impressed with his reign so far, what could possibly change their minds?" Another minister added.

There was silence in the room. Everyone seemed lost in thought, Sokka amongst them. He could admit he knew next to nothing about what made a fire bender great. 

"For today and until this threat is neutralized, you will have at least one of us with you at all times." The head of security, an severe older woman named Jin, spoke up, "No negotiating. And I'll need your permission to set up a perimeter around the palace and interview as many people as possible."

Zuko gave a nod. Jin left the room with several security staff. 

"Alright," the fire lord stood. "That's enough. Let's not let these people derail us from the work we're doing. Continue as you were." 

He walked out of the room, not looking back. 

****

Sokka, Katara and Aang hung back in the meeting room after it had been cleared. 

"I'm worried," Katara started.

"So am I. Why haven't we hear of this group before this?" Aang was still angry, but his anger was quieter now. Those that knew him knew it was no less dangerous. 

"I hadn't heard of them either before today." Sokka admitted. "We know of several dissident groups, but so far they've been peacefully expressing their views. Zuko doesn't want to stop any of them from having their say. He says that was part of the problem with the old Fire Nation and I agree. You can't have fair rule unless you can question that rule."

"Well this one has gone way too far. Assassination is not a valid avenue of complaint." Aang growled.

"But what can we do?" Katara asked, frustrated. "I know next to nothing about fire benders and even less about the Fire Nation and all it's crazy honour-bound practices." She looked pointedly at Sokka. 

"I'm still figuring it all out, 'Tara."

"Help me up." Katara reached out for her husband. Aang pulled her to standing, then half embraced her. She was breathing hard and leaned on him. "I need to rest." She groaned. Both her husband and brother exchanged a look of silent panic. 

"Um. That's.. How far along are you again?" Sokka asked. Aang stepped hard on his foot. "Ow! What?!"

"We still have time. Don't jinx it!"

"Just take my sister back to your rooms, will you? I am not qualified for any of this." he waved his hands in a vague circle around Katara. Aang laughed, a short burst that was obviously not intended. Score one for Sokka.

Katara gave him a look. 

"I am not a  _this_. And don't think you've escaped from our conversation earlier." She glared. Ah, pissing off his sister. Par for the course, really. It was worth it to see that hard look fade from Aang's eyes though.

"Why don't I meet you in your rooms tonight when I'm done with my paperwork." He smiled. "You can chew me out in private and we can talk about this more."

Katara nodded, and then stopped him with a hand on his arm. 

"Talk to Zuko. I don't like how he looked when he left." She said softly. 

"I'll try," Sokka sighed. "If nothing else, I'm sure he wants to chew me out too."

***

Sokka didn't get a chance to talk to Zuko until much later that day. He was continuously surrounded by security and seemed untouchable. Which was the whole point, really. But it made for an awkward distance between the two friends. It wasn't until after all the meetings and paperwork and audiences were over and Sokka was just thinking about stopping by to see Aang and Katara, when he chanced on the fire lord (and one guard) outside his chambers. Zuko seemed to be looking for him, as he had one arm raised to knock on his door. The other hand held an open scroll and he was so immersed in reading it, he didn't hear or see Sokka approach until he cleared his throat. Those golden eyes flashed up.

"There you are," A rare smile. Sokka privately breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't sure if the fire lord's anger would have burned out by now, he was notorious for holding a grudge. 

"What are you reading?" 

"This is why I've come to find you." Zuko waived the parchment under his friend's nose. "It's a letter from my uncle. I don't know how he heard about what happened, but it arrived by hawk a few minutes ago. Here, read it."

Sokka grabbed the scroll and read.

 

_Nephew,_

_I hope this message finds you well. Or as well as can be expected I suppose. I've just learned about the attempt on your life. I am thankful beyond words that they failed. Had I at any time suspected that the Will of Fire was becoming a real threat, I would have warned you at once. Alas, my intelligence failed me on this matter. Now, I suppose, you are in doubt as to which direction to turn to resolve this issue. I may have an idea, but you may not like it._

_Since the Will of Fire believe you are unsuited for rule, you need to prove beyond a doubt that you are. To them, and to any others who would take up the same cause. You need someone to speak for you, to stand up for you, that they would trust implicitly on the subject. No, not me. I'm sure that was your first thought and I thank you for your confidence. But this old man's time of influence in the Fire Nation is over. I am quite content to spend the rest of my days in my little tea house playing_ _pai-sho. (And, hopefully, entertaining my nephew and his friends here as often as possible.)_

_No. There are others who you need to turn to, and I think the thought may have already crossed your mind. At least I hope it has. I don't want to name them outright in case this letter is intercepted, but I think after all this time, one of them would be willing to help you. Especially since you have already made your introductions beforehand._

_Give them my best, and as ever, stay safe and well until I can see you again._

_Uncle Iroh_

 

Sokka shook his head. He couldn't decipher the half hinted clues. Either Iroh was a genius or off his rocker. It really was a toss up which on any given day.

"What does it mean?" He glanced up at Zuko, who had been watching him as he read. "Do you know who he's talking about?"

The fire lord nodded and leaned close enough to place his lips directly beside his friend's ear. Sokka's eyes widened.

"The dragons," he whispered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it just me, or sometimes does it seem like Aang, Katara and Sokka are like the Gryffindor Trio. ;)


	8. Chapter 8

Despite being the first (presumably) to know anything about the fire lord’s new plan, Sokka saw very little of his friend over the next week. There was meeting after meeting, all of which he attended, and all of which Zuko also attended. However, the scare of assassination and the employment of several personal guards at all times meant that they never had a free moment to just be themselves. There was always at least one person between him and Zuko. Sokka’s usual “can do” attitude took a hit. He went from being able to have the run of the palace and being one of the few to be able to drag the fire lord into whatever he had planned to being just like every other random person. That is, watched at all times and kept away from Zuko.

Everyone could feel the tense atmosphere. The palace guards doubled. Procedures that hadn’t been implemented since Ozai’s rule, such as personal tasters and a curfew, made their reappearance. 

And Katara put her foot down. She and Aang made plans to travel back to the Earth Kingdom. She was fit to burst, due in two weeks. She could barely toddle around, never mind run or defend herself. Her water bending had become erratic, a sure sign that her body was out of balance. She also couldn’t take any more of her husband’s hovering. This proclamation was pushed out from behind clenched teeth as Aang once again placed his hand on her large belly. The avatar had the gall to grin at Sokka from where Katara couldn’t see him. 

She gave him a list of training exercises so long it made him wince. He hadn’t had any luck with water bending at all. It was blindingly obvious that whether due to the late onset or just lack of natural abilities, Sokka was never going to be the kind of master or prodigy his sister was. For one thing, he still had a lot of trouble bending anything besides ice. He would always start off with water when he began his exercises and almost every time would end up with a chunk of ice. It infuriated Katara, because she could come up with no rhyme or reason for his difficulty. She tried to balance him with meditation and chi flow exercises to no avail. His bending was just too far into the “cold” end of the temperature spectrum.

Sokka met Aang and Katara in the palace courtyard, where Appa was already saddled and ready to go. The giant air bison snuffled the trio, looking for treats and ear scratches. He was surprisingly gentle with Katara, maybe understanding her delicacy at this moment. Sokka, however, ended up under his hairy chin, choking on fur and covered in spit. 

“I can’t believe I’m going to miss this again.” He laughed, pushing the two tonne head away as best he could. Which was not at all. Appa huffed a big sign and moved of his own accord. Aang reached down and hauled his friend up into a tight embrace.

“We’ll miss you too.” His voice was muffled in Sokka’s tunic. He ignored the dirt, hair and spit and just held on tight. 

“Write to us,” Katara added, patting his shoulder. They’d said their goodbyes last night, after a long night of talking and reminiscing. It turned out Katara’s insomnia was worse now she was nearing the end, and Sokka hadn’t been sleeping well since the assassination attempt. They’d met in the kitchen for tea at “way past your bedtime” o’clock and hadn’t left until the sun had come up. 

“I will.” Her brother grinned. He patted Aang awkwardly on the back when the embrace didn’t let up. “And I want to hear the minute I’m an uncle. No excuses!”

Aang let out a funny sort of laugh. He pulled away and levitated Katara gently into Appa’s saddle. Once she was settled, the avatar turned his wide blue eyes back on Sokka. 

“Okay I can’t stand this. Sokka, I’m scared shitless.” The avatar whispered urgently. “What the hell am I doing? How did I ever think I could do this? What if I screw it all up?!”

“Um..”

“No seriously. I have like zero actual father figures to look to for help.” Aang was working himself up, his words coming faster and louder. “I’m going to be a dad any day now and I haven’t even figured out my child’s name! It’s going to be nameless! Oh spirits…” His eyes were wide and shocked.

Sokka bit down on an urge to laugh. Unfortunately, his face had always been an open book and Aang picked up on it right away. 

“This is not funny!” He glared.

“Okay okay.” Sokka patted his shoulders, hoping to calm his friend. Was that a slight glow in the avatar’s eyes? Lets move along! “It’s only funny to me because it’s not happening to me. You’re taking this way better than I would be, trust me. You’re still here and not halfway to the north pole or fainted away on the ground.”

Aang snorted.

“No really. Trust me.” Sokka gripped his friend’s biceps. “And I can’t believe I’m the one, out of everyone you know, that you’re telling this to. The only one who not only has never fathered any children, but also doesn’t even have anyone in his life to father children with. So it’s your own damn fault if the advice I give is utter crap. But here goes.” He took a deep breath. “Aang. My friend. You are going to screw up.”

“What?!”

“Yes. You are going to screw up a lot.” Sokka nodded to himself.

“Is this supposed to make me feel better?”

“Hush you. Yes. It is.” He glared. “Remember. It’s your own damn fault for asking me.”

“I’m beginning to regret it.”

“You should. But anyways, back to my amazing advice. You. screwing up. With gusto.” Sokka put on his best trickster grin. “And do you know what the best part of that is?”

“I’m afraid to ask…”

“It will all be okay anyways.” He made a sweeping gesture. “Despite your utter failure to live up to this ideal you have in your head about parenthood, your kids will turn out absolutely amazing.”

Aang was quiet.

“And they’ll be luckiest kids in the world because they’ll have us for parents.” Came a voice from above. “Now get your behind onto this bison so we can make it home before dark, please.”

“Yes dear.” With one last quick pat on the back, Aang launched himself up onto the saddle. He made sure Katara was sitting propped between bags for stability, then settled on Appa’s head and flicked the reins.

“Yip yip!”

And they were off.

Sokka kept his hand in the air, waving goodbye until he couldn’t see them against the horizon. His arm ached when he dropped it. 

 

————————-

Making his way inside, Sokka was lost in thought. This was the only reason, he tells himself later, that he was caught unawares. 

Halfway inside the inner doorway, he bumps into a guard. He’s steadied by a gloved hand before he can fall, but it’s a near thing. The guard is roughly twice as wide and a head taller.

“Oh!” He says, rubbing his shoulder where it had made forceful contact with the metal of the man’s armour. “Excuse me. I didn’t see you there.”

“Please come with me, ambassador.” The guard says.

Sokka frowns. He doesn’t recognize this particular guard.

“Where are we going?” He says. He finds himself walking with the guard, as the man’s size and strong grip on his elbow both conspire to lead him away. 

“My lady has asked to see you.” 

No mincing words, this one. Sokka gives his escort a subtle head-to-toe out of the side of his eye. Tall, muscular, armoured, with his hair pulled back on top of his head fire nation style. Dark hair and dark eyes. No facial hair. The man seems to walk in such a way that his true stature is minimized, like he doesn’t want to draw attention to himself. Sokka knows that walk. He’s done the “don’t notice me, I’m just a harmless citizen” walk a few times himself.

As they made their way further into the palace, he started to maybe have an inkling of who his lady was. They were passing the public part of the palace and into the private wing. After the attempt on his life, Zuko had moved himself and Mai into a more secure wing of the palace with only one entrance. Sokka and the guard walked through this entrance now. 

Even though he knew that Zuko would be in the throne room at this time of day, he couldn’t help hoping to pick out the familiar silhouette as he passed through his private rooms. At the end of the hall, the guard halted them both. He knocked quickly on a door. Without waiting for an answer, he opened the door and ushered Sokka through.

The room was cool. A bed was set up against the far wall and beside the bed was a wall of stone. It was natural stone from  the quarry, unfinished and rough. Around the bed like a moat, there was a stream flowing. The water trickled down one end of the rock wall and disappeared down into a hole at the other end. It completely circled the bed.

It was someone’s attempt at cooling down the contents of the room and bed. Looking at it with a bender’s eyes, Sokka could see how there was a balance being restored. Or attempting to be restored. As they neared the bed, he could feel the heat being put out, even across the cooling stream.

Mai lay there, exhausted. Sokka hadn’t seen her out and about in weeks and now he could see why. She was soaked in sweat. Her normally tightly wound hair was loose around her flushed face and her sharp eyes were closed. She looked like she had just run a mile. Except the large bulge around her middle made that idea ridiculous. 

As they neared, she cracked her eyes open and Sokka was surprised to see the amount of spirit still present. This was no wilting flower. 

The guard walked closer and to Sokka’s further surprise, laid his hand on hers. She blinked slowly.

“Zuko tells me that you can water bend as well now.” She spoke, words nothing more than a breathy rumble. A trickle of sweat made its way down her cheek. 

“Yes, my lady.” Sokka whispers. The silence hangs like a spell he isn’t willing to break. 

“I need you to help me.” She whispers back. Her voice is weak but her eyes are strong. They’ve seemingly hypnotized him. He feels relief when they move on to the guard at his side. “Ravi. Please explain.” She says and then her eyes fall closed, as though she’s done all she can.

The guard, Ravi, strokes her hand with his. It’s obvious he is no mere guard or servant. Sokka feels slightly uncomfortable, like he’s witnessing something that he shouldn’t be. He stomps down on an urge to clear his throat awkwardly.

Not paying attention to anything but the woman on the bed, Ravi speaks.

“My lady is burning up. No one knows why and no one can help her for long. The water bender that was here made this little bower, and it has worked for weeks.” He clenched her hand tighter. “But it is starting to fail. It’s not enough anymore.” He finally raises his head to meet Sokka’s eyes. “I’ve heard that you can manipulate ice.”

Sokka meets and holds his eyes and oh moon and ocean. He knows that look. He sees that look almost every day in his own mirror. That hopeless, helpless look of being utterly gone on someone you couldn’t have. He winces.

“Yes. Ice is my specialty. Apparently.” He answers. 

His kinship with the guard leaves him reeling. 

“Good. Do you think you could try?” Ravi asks, gesturing at the moat. 

Sokka nods his head. He ignores the way Ravi steps closer to the bed, to be between Mai and the water. It’s what he would have done too. He swallows. Then raises his hands. 

He can feel where Katara has coaxed the water out of the ground to trickle slowly down the rock wall, cooling the wall and the air in the room. He moves his hands farther down and feels the rushing of the moat stream and the final dip down a crack in the wall. Bringing his hands back up he pushes a little bit and takes the stance. Slowly he grabs and pulls, the energy stretching from wall to water. Just a slight temperature drop, enough to make the stream slushy and the wall shine with ice. Not enough to stop the flow.

When he opens his eyes again, his breath is puffing out of his mouth in a white cloud. The wall is frosted with ice and the stream has chunks floating within. Ravi is watching him with awe. They both turn to look at Mai at the same time.

She is smiling. Her eyes are open and bright as they were. She grasps Ravi’s hand with strength.

“That is… much better.” She whispers. “Thank you, Sokka.” 

And then she looks at Ravi and her face softens. Once again, Sokka feels like he’s intruding on something he shouldn’t. Mai’s expression has a mirror in her guard’s. 

Sokka’s heart seems to stop. Maybe Ravi’s look hadn’t been so hopeless. Maybe he wasn’t  infatuated with someone who didn’t return his affections. Sokka’s body felt chilled, but it wasn’t the fault of the room. 

“You’re welcome.” He managed. And, “I’ll see myself out.”

Neither truly acknowledged his exit, and he hurried out the door and down the hall. Swiftly he exited the royal wing and didn’t look back until he had made it to the library. He grabbed a random book (mechanics of steam engines) and hid himself in a cubicle. He didn’t want to be disturbed and this was the first place he thought of.

Heart pounding, he grasped the book to his chest like a life line. The magnitude of what he had just witnessed left him stunned. 

Why? Why would they let him see?

Oh spirits how would he ever keep this secret? Everything he thought showed on his face. He might as well just hold a sign over top of his head. The only secret he’d ever kept successfully was his feelings from Zuko. It was a good thing Zuko was as oblivious as he was obvious. Aang had pegged him within minutes of seeing him!

What was he going to do?

Avoid Zuko, firstly. At least until the shock had worn off enough to not show all over his countenance. And that shouldn’t be hard, since he’d barely seen the man all week. He breathed a little bit easier. Yes. He could do that. Avoid Zuko.

How hard could it be?

 

————————

He managed to make it all the way to his rooms before Plan Avoid Zuko was foiled in the most spectacular way. 

He’d taken the long route back from the library, on purpose avoiding all of the areas that Zuko could possibly be. He took side corridors instead of main ones to avoid meeting rooms and the courtyard. He definitely did not go anywhere near the royal wing again. 

He was rather pleased with himself and his stealth capabilities by the time he opened his door and slipped inside. His smile dropped instantly he realized he wasn’t alone. 

Sitting on his chair, head down on his desk was Zuko himself. Sokka stood like a deer in headlights, then let out a breath of relief. His friend was sleeping. He had his full fire lord garb on, the heavy robes and stiff decorative accents. Even his topknot crown was still on. His head was resting on his folded arm, mouth open and stray hairs covering his face. He looked so uncomfortable and also at the same time absolutely adorable. 

Sokka took a moment to slow his heart to something nearing normal. Okay. He could do this. Zuko was asleep, so technically plan Avoid Zuko was still in effect. He would just have to change the plan name to Avoid Zuko’s Eyes. He roughly passed a hand over his own eyes. A quiet bark of hysterical laughter burst out against his will.

Pull yourself together! 

Okay first things first, the fire lord couldn’t spend the night at his desk. Not that Sokka didn’t entertain the idea briefly. Just leaving his friend there and spending the night in the library or something. But that would be cruel. It was obvious Zuko was tired. He looked just as worn out and frayed as he did during the day. Honestly, the man looked like he’d aged ten years in the last few months. 

Taking a deep breath, Sokka evaluated his options. He really had no choice but to disturb the fire lord’s slumber in order to move him. He couldn’t lift him on his own, and anyways Zuko should be given the choice of making his way to his quarters on his own power. 

Schooling his face and determined to ignore the last couple hours as though they’d never happened, he reached out a hand and laid it on his friend’s shoulder. Zuko didn’t react, a testament to how deeply he was asleep. Feeling slightly guilty for disturbing him, Sokka gently shook his arm. The change was gradual, but slowly the fire lord opened his eyes. The golden orbs were fuzzy with sleep, movement slow and warm. 

“Zuko,”

“Hmmm?” Came the sleepy reply. Sokka caught his breath at the soft look turned his way. A slight smile and eyes that hid nothing. He’d never seen Zuko this unguarded. He wanted to smile back, to share in the warmth and nuzzle into the slight upturn of his mouth. And in that moment, he almost believed Zuko would let him.

Instead he leaned back out of reach and let his hand drop.

“You fell asleep at my desk. Come on, let me help you to your rooms.” 

This caused a frown. Sokka could almost see the defences dropping behind his friend’s eyes, the hardening of his face. Zuko propped himself back up and tried to smooth his robe.

“I was waiting for you.” He spoke, voice still rough with sleep. “I need to talk with you.”

“It can wait until tomorrow.” Sokka tried to make his voice a soothing as possible. “If you could fall asleep in the middle of the afternoon all draped over my desk, then you’re tired enough to have a proper sleep in your own bed. I’ll walk you back.”

Zuko shook his head with enthusiasm.

“No. I’m here now.” He grasped the wayward tufts of hair and pulled it all back from his face. Taking out the crown, he redid his high top knot. “We haven’t had a chance to talk all week.” He muttered darkly. “I feel like I haven’t had a moment to myself in days. There’s always at least one body between me and solitude and it’s driving me mad.”

“Speaking of personal guards,” Sokka interrupted, eyebrows lifted.

“I slipped away.” The ridiculous man had the nerve to look smug. “They think I’m in my rooms.”

Sokka facepalmed. 

“You know they’re there for your own protection, Zuko!” he growled. “Or have you forgotten the assassination attempt last week?”

“I can’t stand it anymore!” Agitated, Zuko stood and paced. “They’re always there. Always! They stand outside my bath while I relieve myself for Agni’s sake! This has to end. I am not some powerless unintelligent buffoon!”

“No one said you were!” Sokka stood as well. “What you are is important! They follow you everywhere because they know this! We… The fire nation can’t loose you!”

Zuko seemed to deflate. 

“I know Sokka. I know!” He mumbled. “But this madness can’t continue. We need to take action now.” He stopped in front of Sokka and grasped his biceps. “Do you remember what I told you?”

“You mean when you enigmatically whispered “dragons!” in my ear and then we didn’t talk for a whole week?” Sokka felt his body calm in response to the other’s presence. 

His dry statement surprised a chuckle out of the fire lord.

“I suppose I deserved that.” He smiled. “Okay. So this group, the “Fire Inside”? They don’t think I am fit to be fire lord because of my fire bending ability. Or lack there of. Right?”

Sokka nodded, even though he was pretty sure there was no lack of ability. A master was a master. And as a beginner and as someone who had trouble with the basics of bending, he figured he knew a little bit of what he spoke. Zuko may have started out as less than a fire bending prodigy, but his hard work had certainly paid off.

“Well. Do you remember how the idea was put forth that I just needed someone beyond reproach to vouch for me? Someone every fire bender would acknowledge as an indisputable expert.”

Again, another nod. 

“I had a lot of trouble trying to figure out who I could ask.” He was frowning again. “I’m sure my status and influence could have persuaded several noted masters to give me their support. But there was a real chance that this group would have cried foul. They could point out that the masters were corruptible and they’d be right. It would change nothing.” He sighed, and seemed to realize he was still gripping Sokka’s arms. He let his hands drop. “Who could I ask that would be absolutely beyond reproach? Who is incorruptible?”

The pause stretched.

“Oh you’re actually asking me?” Sokka huffed. “Well I assume the dragons play into the answer somewhere.”

“They ARE the answer! Sokka think about it.. no human would be completely incorruptible. Even if I found a fire bending master deep in the earth kingdom who had to ties to the fire nation, he could still be bought! But the dragons don’t have any agenda.”

“That we know about.” Sokka mumbled. But his quick and logical brain had filled in the details as his friend spoke. Zuko was right. It was a pretty good plan. But.. “So you’re just going to go and what… ask a dragon to support your reign? How in the world would they do that?”

“I have a couple of ideas. But really all we’d need is someone impartial to witness my interactions with them. Ideally, someone from this group. But!” he held his hand up as Sokka started to protest. “I would never trust a member enough to bring them on the quest. I don’t even want to bring my own people. When Aang and I found the dragons, we promised the people of the sun we wouldn’t betray their location. I don’t want anyone coming with me.”

Oh hell no.

“Uh. No. Not going to happen. Sorry. You are not going to travel over half of the fire nation by yourself. Not while I still draw breath.” He employed his fiercest glare. From Zuko’s smile in the face of it, he suspected his friend was now immune. “No. This is not happening.”  He pushed his friend down into his desk chair, and kept his hands firmly on his shoulders. “I don’t know how to convey the seriousness of the issue! You nearly died last week, Zuko! Spirits. You nearly died. You were about ten centimetres from death.”

“But you were there.” came the quiet rejoinder. 

“Yes I was there! Exactly!” He rushed on. “If you can’t take your guards or your army or anyone else, take me! At least take me!”

Zuko just smiled at him. It was the quiet smile from before, the one that was welcoming and warm. Sokka tried one more time.

“I won’t tell anyone. I’ll keep the secret, you know I will. At least with me there someone can watch your back.” He pleaded.

Suddenly Zuko stood and wrapped his arms around his friend. Sokka gasped. Despite the stiff formal robes cutting into his chest, the embrace was warm. Breath tickled his cheek. He may have melted, just a little. It felt so right, so perfect. It was also too much after the day he’d had. He tried not to let it show, but found it hard to catch his breath. He was emotionally wrung out. 

Thankfully, Zuko pulled back after only a short squeeze and smiled. 

“Never change.” The fire lord whispered. Then he turned to the desk again and crouched down, pulling something from under it. It was a large satchel. Sokka watched speechless as his friend started to peel off his formal robes. 

“Um..”

“Of course you’re coming with me!” The robes were flung onto the desk, followed by arm protectors and gloves. The boots came next, and another more practical pair was pulled from the same place as the satchel. In less than a minute, a much less decorated fire lord stood in front of him. 

“You planned this?…”

“I did. And we have to leave now. We only have another couple hours before my guard will have to check on me. I’d prefer to be beyond the city by then.”

Sokka tried to pick his jaw up off the ground. Really, he should have known. The only person in all of the four kingdoms that could best himself and Aang for jumping into situations head first. He should be lucky the idiot came to him first.

No. Not an idiot. An unfortunately intelligent and manipulative adversary. Fire nation through and through. 

Sokka gave into the inevitable and turned around to pack a bag.


	9. In search of...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys start on their journey...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has stuck by this story. <3 I'm overwhelmed with the amount of encouragement. I can't let you down. Dammit. ;) ... but YAY! two weeks between chapters is an improvement!
> 
> And also a plot bunny bit me concerning a whole different fandom and I mostly ignored it just for this story haha. But I will eventually let it loose some day. ;P

 

It was nothing short of a miracle that they made it out of the palace without attracting attention. Their unremarkable garb was partly to thank. Sokka too had changed into fire nation clothes, to try and blend in as best he could. His eyes were still a problem but he kept them averted when they passed anyone in the street. Out of the two of them, actually, Zuko was the one who stuck out. Not only because of his scarred visage, but also because of the way he held himself. Sokka had noticed way back when it was just team avatar sleeping on the ground and running around in the underbrush that Zuko always walked like a prince. It was as much a part of him as his temper and his fire bending. 

Now, it was getting in the way of their successful escape. Despite having made it out of the palace and into the city, they were still in danger of being recognized. They slunk though poorly lit alleyways and quiet side streets. 

Well. Sokka slunk. Zuko walked marginally less tall with a grace that didn’t belong. 

It was on the tip of Sokka's tongue to mention it, but he held back. He was not the nagging type, dammit. And Zuko could, in all reality and despite the water tribesman's almost obsessive need to protect him, take care of himself. The man had proven that time and time again. 

But it wouldn't hurt to hurry him through the busiest parts of the city. While simultaneously watching his back. 

They didn’t stop their pace until they had reached the very outskirts of the city. As the houses started to thin, their cover started to disappear too. Luckily, it was timed with the setting of the sun. Almost too perfect. Like it had been planned or something. Sokka rolled his eyes at himself. As the Plan Guy, he was pretty disappointed in himself for the complete lack of forethought and suspicion on his part. He should not have been blindsided by this.

_How did this happen? How was throw-fire-first-ask-questions-later Zuko able get past my defences. And out maneuver me._ He thought to himself. _Thank the moon and ocean he hadn’t come into his own when he was chasing Aang and the rest of us all over the globe. THIS Zuko would have caught us, no question._

Watching his friend’s hunched back as they skirted a fenced field on their way to the tree line, Sokka couldn’t help but smile. 

_THIS Zuko would have been welcome to._

Aaaand.. that did NOT help. Sokka was glad that dusk had fallen enough to cover his flushed cheeks. 

Snap out of it! This wasn’t some stroll in the market with his crush!  _And now I’m channelling Katara at twelve.._ No. Stop it. This was serious! Keep your eyes on the rapidly disappearing fire lord and your brain out of your pants!

Sokka was also vehemently thankful no one could read his mind. The fact he was having a _significant mental breakdown!!_ was no one’s business but his own. 

When they made it to the tree line, Sokka knew he was past done. He suspected fatigue from his bending work combined with emotional upheaval was making him loopy. He was having arguments with himself that would have made more sense if he’d been drinking cactus juice. Yeah he said it. 

Zuko didn’t stop to make camp in the trees, however. Not that there was a real possibility. Sokka knew (hello…Plan Guy!) that they needed to get as far as possible from the palace and city before they could hole up. And he also knew that the easiest time to travel with the least risk was at night. 

So, Sokka gritted his teeth and followed behind the figure in front of him with determination. It was going to be a long night.

 

————

 

The night passed mostly without incident. Sokka followed his friend through endless stands of trees and open fields. In the deep night with the stars above, the flat ground and the arching sky were breath taking. His body had protested and threatened to give out, but it never did. He didn't know where the energy to stay mobile was coming from and tried not to think about it too much. The last thing he needed was to logic it away as impossible. Instead, he lost himself in the view of the stars and listening to the rapid breaths beside him. These quiet times between the two friends, both walking with purpose side by side, were full and seemed to bolster both. Zuko was just as tired as he was, and continued without complaint. They found an easy tempo that kept them both moving. Even their breaths synched up.

There was only once that they had to quickly dodge out of their path into some scrub to hide. A group of young men was passing by, and one of them had suddenly launched himself into the trees beside the road. He had randomly stumbled not a metre from where Sokka had been walking. Luckily the man had been drinking, and only wanted to relieve himself because Sokka’s reaction time was painfully slow. By the time he had drawn his sword and had them both hidden, the man was done and back with his friends.

“I think we need to walk further from the road.” Zuko said softly.

Sokka bit back  _You think?!_ , and nodded his head. 

Sokka didn’t even keep track of the time that had passed. He was working on walking and not falling. It was really all anyone could ask at this point. He was still silent, the sound of his footsteps loud enough to drown out everything else. One foot in front of the other, and repeat.  Zuko finally seemed to decide they were done for the night. He spied a sort of bower between two trees that they could use to take shelter in and raised his arm to point it out to his friend but Sokka walked right by him. 

“Sokka!” he hissed. And then grabbed his friend’s shoulder when that didn’t work.

“Hmm?”

The blasé response seemed to tickle something in Zuko. He smiled. 

“This way, oh weary warrior!” He pretended to usher Sokka through with grand hand movements. The water bender had come back into himself enough to realize his friend was being a smart ass and snorted. 

“My, what first rate accommodations! My compliments to the decorator. It’s almost as though we were sleeping in the actual forrest!” He managed to snark. The snark kept him awake.

Zuko had put his bag down and after pulling out and spreading out his bedroll, also produced some bread and meat. 

“And for the full “roughing it” ambiance, here we have the classic bread and jerky combination for dinner. So authentic!” Zuko snarked right back.

And this was why he was the best fire lord. 

Sokka was pretty sure his smile was going to split his face. Before that theory could be tested, he grabbed some jerky and shoved it into his mouth. They both chewed in silence for a few minutes. Finally, Zuko broke it.

“I’m glad it’s you here with me.” He said quietly. Sokka studied him. He was clearly exhausted, black hollows beneath his eyes and a slump to his posture. But he was smiling. 

“While I still think you’d be safer in the palace with full guard… I’m just glad you didn’t go alone.”

“I thought about it.”

Sokka cringed. He had suspected more than once tonight that he was actually pretty lucky that Zuko had brought him along. It still wasn’t nice hearing confirmation from the fire lord’s own mouth though.

He thought about chewing his friend out, and then consciously took a deep breath and swallowed down his annoyance. He’d known Zuko for a very long time. And although the fire lord had come a long way from the angry jerk he’d been when they’d first met, antagonizing him never ended well. Plus Sokka was just way to tired to put any sort of effort into his argument. Anything beyond “You. death. bad. idiot.” was just too complicated for his brain to handle at the moment.  

“Well I’m glad you came to your senses.” He said quietly, then turned and spread out his own bedroll.

“Sokka…” The fire lord started. 

Sokka didn’t even bother taking off his outer layer, just wrapped his cloak tighter around himself as he curled into his bedroll. The Fire Nation was warm enough, especially during the day, that he would be fine.  He peered up at the uncommon sight of Zuko struggling for words. Honestly, Sokka didn’t even know how his friend was still awake. He reached out in the dark and grasped the first thing that he could reach; a hand.

“It’s okay, Zuko.” He said. “I’m glad I’m here. You’re glad I’m here. Point is, I’m here.”

The fire lord huffed a laugh, and laid back as well. Their hands remained clasped. Sokka noticed how the first sharp spikes of morning light caught on his friend’s cheek and scar and then he remembered no more.

 

——————

 

Sokka woke before dusk. The even breathing he could hear beside him told him he was the only one awake. He didn’t move for a while, just let his body slowly regain consciousness… and watched Zuko sleep. It was so rare to see his friend without the weight of an entire kingdom on his shoulders that he couldn’t begrudge him the extra rest, even when the sun started to set behind them. Some time during the night, their hands had become unclasped.

Sokka had barely moved in his sleep. His body automatically adjusted to sharing a "bed". Or in this case, a bit of hard ground. Besides the time he spent at the palace, he had always had to share his sleeping space. Whether his sister when he was younger or any one of team avatar during their journeys, he was trained to sleep with someone else in mind. He was used to keeping to his own little bubble all night. Spirits help him if he had rolled over on Katara as kids. It had been pure survival instinct.

Zuko slept like someone who’d always had his own bed. He was spread out, limbs akimbo. His head was off of the roll at the top that functioned as a pillow and halfway onto Sokka’s bedroll. It was adorable.

Sokka finally got up, leaving his bedroll to take care of morning ablutions and back to the bower to eat a bit more jerky. He was in the perfect position to watch as Zuko slowly became aware of his surroundings. There was awareness, confusion, then a groan as one arm came down and covered up his face. Sokka let out a little laugh.

So freaking adorable.

“Good morning sunshine!” He chirped pleasantly. Or annoyingly cheerful dependant on your point of view. A groan answered him. 

He really hadn’t noticed when they were together in team avatar for those last days whether or not Zuko was a morning person. And at the palace, though the clues had been there, he hand’t thought of it in those terms. Now he could say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, Zuko was NOT a morning person. At all.

Well, "morning" was relative in this case. But it was still the cutest thing he'd ever seen when Zuko roughly rubbed his eyes and then pouted at him. 

"Breakfast in bed, my liege?" Sokka smirked. "You have your choice of whatever this is, some squished bread or this apple that may or may not be too bruised to eat."

That earned him a half hearted smack. And alright, he probably deserved that. 

They ate and packed up quickly, Zuko eager to be on the road again. The moon was out and the sky was clear. Unlike last night, Sokka felt like a new man. He could sense the pull from the moon, something he hadn't been able to feel before he'd become a bender. 

They travelled half the night before they came across a small village by the sea. Instead of skirting it's boundary and staying low, Zuko walked right through the centre of town. Granted, it was dark and the middle of the night. Which also explained why he completely ignored both the confused panic and the glare Sokka had directed at him. They stopped outside a small but friendly looking inn.

"I need to rent rooms here for a couple days. Can you be my lookout?" Zuko asked, already moving to the door of the inn.

"Uh. no." Sokka grabbed his shoulder and pushed him under a dark overhang. "Out of the two of us, I'm the one that should be seen in public. You are way too recognizable." He huffed. "But even before that becomes an issue, why are we doing this?"

"I'm meeting someone here."

"As your Plan Guy, I've just got to point out at this juncture that hanging around a town only a days journey from the palace for a couple of days is going to really increase your chances of being caught."

"I know. But I think it's worth it. You'll just have to trust me on this." Zuko had that stubborn gleam in his eye that any member of team avatar would recognize in a heartbeat. The kind of stubbornness that had him sailing after a ghost, injured and without any hope. That kind of stubbornness was a super power all in it's own. 

"So who are we waiting for?" Sokka sighed. He didn't even try to argue. He knew when it was Not Worth It. 

"My uncle," Zuko said quietly. "He's coming in on a boat tomorrow morning. He's the only person I know, besides Aang and myself, who has had contact with the dragons. I think for what I'm going to ask of them, I'll need his help."

Zuko always spoke of his uncle with a sort of reverence. Sokka got it. He did. It was how he spoke of his dad. That one adult in your life that was your rock. And not just any rock, but the one that you hurled yourself against time and time again, only to one day realize that not only did they sustain no damage from your assault, but that you yourself were protected despite your best efforts. It was humbling. Just to know his dad was alive somewhere and thriving gave Sokka the energy he needed to do what he did. And he knew Zuko felt the same. 

He wished he could communicate his understanding so Zuko would stop looking at him like he was expecting him to complain. He settled on,

"I get it. Give me the money and I'll get us the room."

A bit brusque perhaps. But it got Zuko into action mode instead of digging in his heels mode.

Sokka went in, rented a room, gabbed a bit with the man behind the counter to make himself forgettable and then grabbed Zuko from the shadows and let them both into the room. It was around back of the hotel with it's own entrance, and there was a hot springs just down a path from their door. This in itself was not unusual, fire country was full of hot springs. They were everywhere. Every town had at least one. Irregardless, it's presence made Sokka suspicious and when he turned his companion, the look on his friend's face proved his suspicions accurate.

"Uncle Iroh requested it." the fire lord mumbled. "And I thought it would be nice. It's not like either of us has had any sort of a vacation in years." Warm golden eyes met his from under long lashes. 

Sokka paused. Given his.. issue. No. Wait. If only inside his own head, he was going to be honest, dammit. Given his  _attraction_ to the man in front of him, this was a spectacularly bad idea. There were so many ways it could go horribly wrong. And any one of them could loose him the friendship and more importantly the trust of his friend. It was on the tip of his tongue to refuse. Only the open expression on his companion's face made him reconsider.

But then again, trust went both ways. He sighed. And then smiled. 

"That actually sounds amazing. Thank you." 

Zuko's face lit up, which meant he made the right decision. 

"Great. Let's have a soak now while everyone else is asleep, then we can rest until uncle gets here." 

 What an ordinary and sane plan. Positively calm and comfortable. Now to just get his body to realize this and stop vibrating like he was going to have a panic attack. This should not be an issue! He'd bathed with all the members of team avatar before. Well, all the male members. And Katara sometimes. And Toph too because modesty means nothing when she can slap the ground with her feet and watch you from 50 metres away. So everyone. Including the man in front of him, although they'd not been men at the time. Just boys too involved in their own drama to be aware of each other. 

Okay this was way different. There was no overhanging pall of evil in the air. No chance that at any moment the whole world would burst into flames and be destroyed. No distractions. And no bad blood between the two of them, making them cautious and hesitant in each other's presence. 

From the way Zuko met his eyes, no distance at all. 

Sokka was starting to feel a bit like he'd felt in his rooms when he'd realized that the fire lord had stashed his bag under his desk, just waiting for Sokka to come to the inevitable solution on his own. Waiting for him to get it. Waiting for him to catch up. 

Sokka swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. 

_Waiting for me to catch up..._

Now his heart was pounding fast. On the outside, he smiled and gathered extra clothes and towels before following his friend out the door. On the inside, he was spinning in circles.

He felt almost exactly the same as when he had first met Suki and he was trying so hard to impress her. A mixture of nervous, excited and faintly sick to his stomach. He knew only one way to proceed; he gathered his not insubstantial courage into both hands and walked head first into battle. He knew without a doubt he would make a fool of himself. But there was a difference this time. He didn't need to impress Zuko. They had seen each other at their worst. He just had to figure out exactly what he wanted; which direction he wanted to travel next. 

Well. He knew where he _wanted_ to go. He craved this man with every cell in his body, leaned towards his voice, got entranced by his laugh like a lovesick fool. Cards on the table: he was heart was not his own. There wasn't anything that he wouldn't do for Zuko. And more worryingly, there was, in all probability, nothing that Zuko could ask of him that he would refuse. 

The first time he had met the fire prince, he had thrown a club at his warship. 

If he was being honest with himself, he hadn't gotten any better at knowing when he was outclassed. Or when to hold back instead of taking action. 

Of course, he would also be the first to admit that Zuko wasn't exactly any better at either of these points. 

The hot springs were closed. Neither man gave a second thought to scaling the rough wooden fence that enclosed the outdoor pools. There were two pools, both surrounded by rocks and natural formations. The water was steaming. Zuko slipped into the bathhouse building and Sokka followed. Quickly, they stripped down and washed. 

Sokka stayed on his stool a little longer than necessary, pretending to wash his hair for the second time. He stayed long enough to hear footsteps fade away and a faint splash from outside. Then he dunked his head under the water and took a deep (metaphorical) breath. Before he lost his nerve he stood up and made his way out to the pools. When he pushed open the door from the bathhouse, the first thing he saw was a flash of gold. Zuko had turned just as he opened the door, and now he was caught in his gaze. 

Sokka swallowed. It only just occurred to him that he was completely naked. He felt flushed suddenly and hoped any redness could be blamed on the heat. 

He dropped his eyes as he walked to the pool and got in. He wasn't willing to look too deeply. Not yet. 

The water was hot, but not scalding. It soaked into his skin and bones almost immediately, rendering him limp and relaxed. He risked a glance to his left and was startled to see Zuko's eyes still on him, his head relaxed back against a rock. 

Caught in that open stare, it was getting harder and harder to remember why giving in was not a good idea. 

Sokka had never been hypnotized, but he was sure this is what it would feel like. His breath quickened and his hands clenched on the rock shelf where he sat. His body didn't feel like his own. He floated inside it like he was observing but not in control. He had no idea what expression was on his face, but if it was anything like he was feeling, it was raw and edging towards panic. All Zuko would have to do would be to reach for him and he would be gone. 

Whatever the fire lord saw, he seemed pleased. His face relaxed further into a contented smile. 

"I really needed this," He sighed. 

Sokka didn't trust his voice. He sat quietly, watching his friend. Zuko didn't seem to mind. 

"Just relax, Sokka. Take this one night off worrying and planning. Just let it all go."

"You do know who you're talking to, right?" Sokka replied. If he had been feeling more himself, he would have snorted or rolled his eyes or just laughed it off. In his current state, it came across as just achingly sincere. 

"Okay. Do me a favour then. Close your eyes."

Open, caring Zuko was undeniably the secret weapon that would lay waste to his defences. He could see them crumbling out of the corner of his eyes. Hesitantly, he shut them. Instantly, he became aware of the world through his other senses. His ears picked up slower breathing beside him, movements in the water, the lack of ambient sound so deep into night. His body surrounded by water moving gently. His wet hair cooling in the night air. Water evaporating from his skin. The smell of the hot springs, minerals and earth. 

And then another sound, the slight susurrus of water flowing away from a moving object. Zuko's voice came again, much closer this time. 

"Give me your hand." He said. Sokka pushed his hand towards that voice without thinking. He truly felt at the mercy of the fire lord in this moment. 

His hand was captured and engulfed in two warmer ones. Thumbs were pressed into the palm of his hand. His gasp was loud to his sensitive ears, but there was no holding back. He had never had a hand massage before, the sensations took him completely by surprise. 

Wow. Why had he never had a hand massage before? It was bliss. 

Each joint was warmed and manipulated by skilled fingers, tension he didn't even know he was carrying bleeding out into the water. With his eyes closed, it felt like each touch was significant. Relaxing and energizing at the same time. He couldn't hold back the small whimper when his hand was released, but it only caused Zuko to huff a laugh and reach for the other. And even though he knew what to expect, the first press of thumbs overwhelmed him again. He bit his tongue this time, and just rode out the sensations.

When Zuko finished with the second hand, he sat close enough to Sokka that he could feel his body heat even through the warm water. It was all Sokka could do to keep his breath slow and even. It was beyond him to open his eyes.

The two of them sat there for another few minutes. Slowly Sokka became aware of his surroundings again. Information slowly trickled in as he came back to himself. His hands felt boneless, floating at his sides. He was starting to feel light headed from the heat and knew he had to get out soon, but didn't want to break the moment. Zuko had definitely banished all thought from his brain. No small feat.

His eyes popped open, head falling to the side. He stared at the man beside him, unabashedly. Zuko smirked like he'd just accomplished something impossible. To be fair, he had in a way.

Sokka opened his mouth to say he didn't even know what, and it took two attempts for him to croak out, 

"I -"

Zuko, the smug bastard, started to laugh. Sokka couldn't even muster up a scowl. Not that he wanted to; Zuko's laugh was full of joy and accomplishment, not ridicule. 

"I think I've broken you." He said, smile unflagging. 

"You may have." Sokka finally managed. His head was spinning still, a sure sign that his body was too warm. He started to push himself up. "I need to get out of the heat. Meet you back in the rooms?"

"I'll come with you." Zuko jumped up and followed his friend into the bathhouse. They each grabbed a towel and dried off as best they could. Sokka scrubbed furiously at his hair. 

"Hey Sokka," 

"What?" the water bender peered out at his friend through a towel.

"Have you ever tried bending naked?"

He swore he could hear the sound of his brain imploding.

"..... No?"

Zuko shot him a grin and started pulling on his clothes. Sokka blinked at him.

"What? -"

The fire lord pulled on his tunic, completely clothed and leaned in to his friend. Getting close to his ear, he almost whispered;

"I'd rather your your brain obsesses about something ridiculous and fun tonight. Leave the life or death strategies and contingency plans to tomorrow." He pulled back and grinned. "So. Naked water bending."

Naked fire bending. Guh. Imploded brain now leaking out his ears.

He was jerked out of his daydream ( _Naked. Fire. Bending._ ) as his clothes smacked him in the face. 

"Come on. Get dressed." Zuko was laughing at him again. And he had thrown the clothes. "Unless you actually want to try it?"

Damn him. Yes. He did. 

But he silently pulled on his clothes instead. Clothing was a good idea. It covered parts of his body that were starting to get interested in what was going on. He was just lucky the heat exhaustion and relaxation had delayed his body's response long enough to hide it. 

His hair was floofy and his emotions felt like they'd been wrung out and hung to dry. He now couldn't stop thinking about ( _Naked! Fire! Bending!_ ) inappropriate things. But despite all that, he felt happy and relaxed and warm. And he was sure that had been Zuko's plan all along. He looked with new eyes at his friend. 

His smart, not at all an idiot friend. Who had used Sokka's reaction to being touched and teased to distract him from deeper thought. Which meant he had to know that his touch and teasing would have an effect.

_Oh shit._

They made their way back to the room. The room that Sokka only now realized had one bed.

It was going to be a long night. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man.   
> Okay. I did not mean to tease. It's all part of the plan, and I hope you enjoyed this glimpse of what's to come... (and yay! they actually shared a moment. finally. only 20k words in...) (would anyone believe me if I say this was supposed to be a short fun story? Yeah me neither.)
> 
> Thank you again to everyone who left a review. :) <3 I love hearing from you!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revelations and tea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy All-idays!  
> (credit to gishwhes for the cheeky yet inclusive greeting)  
> I hope everyone is having an awesome winter solstice. The only thing I could think of to get you all was another chapter <3 (although it's a bit late..)

The bed dilemma ended up being easily solved. The bed itself was only big enough for one person. Even if two people had been comfortable enough to lay half on top of each other to share, there still wouldn't have been enough room. Especially for Zuko who flailed around at night and couldn't keep his body contained in a large sized travel bedroll. So, Zuko got the floor where there was no danger of rolling off the small bed and Sokka got the bed, which wasn't really any softer than the floor. 

All that relaxing and he was going be stiff as a board tomorrow.

After all that teasing in the hot springs, Zuko seemed to back right off when they got to the room. Sokka was relieved, and also slightly disappointed. There was a war going on in his head. One side wanted him to talk to Zuko, understand what was going on. Ask about Mai, ask if he knew about the guard. Ask what was up with all the mixed signals, what he wanted. Try and figure out what Sokka himself wanted. The other side didn't want to say anything for fear of breaking the spell that Zuko had woven in the hot springs. See where he would take it next, see how far he would go. It was a selfish wish, and not at all practical. But he was only human, after all. 

They were both settled into their "beds", the fire lord below him on his bedroll. 

Sokka rolled over to the edge, so he could see his friend below. Zuko was wrapped in his cloak with one arm flung out and his head resting on the spare pillow. His unbound hair strewn across the crisp white linen. His breathing was regular, but he wasn't asleep yet. His gold eyes staring up at the ceiling. He seemed completely open and relaxed. And Sokka knew how much of a compliment that was.

Okay, Plan Guy. Mister man of action. What are you going to do? You're way past pretending like nothing is going on. 

In the darkness, things seemed a little easier. It was now or never. 

"Hey Zuko?"

Zuko turned his head to look at his friend, face still open and a smile on his face. Sokka fished around in his flailing brain for some way to start this conversation. Now that he'd flung himself headfirst into it. 

"I... um. Thanks for distracting me earlier." Ugh. Lame. Try again. "I mean. I've had a lot on my mind. Just, with the ambassador stuff, and the bending stuff.." Getting warmer, genius. Still not there though! "And some other stuff.."

Oh for crying out loud! Where was your courage?

"And speaking of bending," you weren't. He rubbed face roughly. "I saw Katara's set up in Mai's room. It was pretty smart. I helped too, adding ice to really cool her down." Okay. Points for trying. "Um... how is she, anyways?"

Zuko's face had grown troubled. At least it hadn't closed off, despite Sokka's bumbling attempt at conversation. 

"The latest healer they brought in said it can be normal for non-benders who are carrying bending children to experience side effects of bending. Like little glimpses or coincidences that are actually linked to the growing child. But even he said Mai's issue is beyond anything he's ever seen. With normal fire bending pregnancies, the mother would apparently experience increases in temperature throughout her pregnancy, but the temperatures that Mai is spiking are too high. They're way out of range. They really don't know what is wrong with her." The fire lord looked resigned and frustrated. "The only good thing is that Katara managed to figure out a way to continuously cool the air around her and so far that has kept her temperature low enough to be safe. And now you." He smiled at his friend. "Thank you for that, Sokka."

"No problem. I'm happy to use what I can to help." And he was. There wasn't exactly jealousy between himself and the fire lord's wife (okay maybe a little bit on his part) and he did genuinely like her. Once he got over the whole friends with Azula bit, and especially after Boiling Rock. He couldn't help it, he had a soft spot for kick ass women. And men. 

"The only good part is that it's almost over. The physicians say they can induce labour as early as three weeks from now if she's still having too much trouble and it's unsafe for her or the baby." 

"Ha! That's awesome. You could be a dad in three weeks!!"

Zuko's face took on the same gobsmacked look that Aang's had had the day he and Katara had left. 

"Oh man, your face." Sokka laughed. Zuko blushed, then glared.

Okay, this wasn't the soul baring in depth emotional discussion he'd ramped himself up for. But it was something. A nice bonding moment. He could just leave it at that, continue as they had been. He was sorely tempted. Not just because it would be easier, but because Zuko looked like he was in a good place. He did not want to be jumping to conclusions and opening his big mouth, only to make things awkward or strained. 

He needed a sign!

As he was mentally pulling his hair out, Sokka closed his eyes. Tried to follow the pathways of possibility quickly in his head but it was pointless. He never had been able to predict his closest friends. And especially now, Zuko was impossible to anticipate. All the paths he followed ended with his own worst fears, not with a genuine reaction from analysis. It was frustrating.

_I can predict movements of bandit clans and politicians up to a year in advance, but I can't get a handle on this one man's romantic intentions?_

Because it matters to you. It matters to you personally like those bandits and politicians never could. 

One wrong move and he could loose this friendship. That was just not an option. 

What should he do?

_Spirits. I really AM a 12 year old girl._

"How did Mai seem to you?" Zuko's voice broke in on his internal monologue. 

Danger!

"She seemed weak. But when I cooled her down again, her strength came back. She has a strong spirit." Seemed safe enough.

"Yes. That's what attracted me in the beginning. She's so strong. She's been through so much, and her strength still blazes through like a beacon." Zuko spoke softly, another genuine smile on his face. "She's one of those people you can always count on to be a rock. Through everything, she's really and truly been there for me."

Well. He did ask for a sign.

"I'm glad. You deserve someone like that." The words should have tasted hollow in his mouth after the disappointment of Zuko's declaration, but surprisingly they didn't. He was actually happy. Happy that Zuko was happy. 

12 year old girl to worldly monk... His mood swings were going to give him whiplash.

"Which is why... when she told me she was in love with someone else... I couldn't get mad." Zuko's voice was so soft that Sokka almost didn't hear him. And then when his words registered, all thought ceased. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. 

"Um.."

"Did you meet her personal guard when you went to help her? His name is Ravi and he's a good man. He grew up with her too. His father was employed by her uncle and they had an illicit friendship. When she found him at the palace, they rekindled their friendship. It didn't take long, or so she told me, for them to realize there was a lot more than friendship between them."

Sokka gaped like a fish. It would be comical in any other circumstances. As it was, he reached in vain for something to say. It was obvious that despite professing not to be mad over his wife's new love, his friend was hurting. Almost without his conscious thought, one hand reached down and grasped Zuko's shoulder. 

Zuko's hand snaked up and covered his hand, holding it where it was.

"Zuko, I.. have no idea what to say."

Those gold eyes flashed up to his, and he was caught. 

"There's nothing you can say that I haven't said to myself a hundred times. I know it's not my fault. I know it's not her fault. It's not even that damn guard's fault. Yes I still love her. No I'm not going to dissolve our marriage. And no, I'm not going to separate them." Zuko huffed out a breath that was quite a bit hotter than ambient temperature. Maybe he actually _was_ a bit angry about the whole situation. "Just... You're such a good friend, Sokka. You're unique in all of my existence."

"I -" 

Obviously he was not going to win any contests for eloquence tonight.

"Before I joined team avatar, the closest friendships I had were those of my sister and her friends growing up. Otherwise, I was alone. I put too much of my faith in those ties, and it really hurt when Azula turned against me and I lost all of their friendships. But what I feel when I'm with you, or Aang or anyone else in our group, it's so different. I'm not used to having something so... mine."

Was that a blush? 

"And I know if I needed them, any of the rest of the team would be here in a heartbeat to help. I have only had that with my uncle before. It's sometimes hard to wrap my brain around." A goofy smile. "But even though any of them would drop anything to come and help me.. I don't need to worry about that with you." His hand tightened. "Because you're  _here_. Sokka, it means so much that even when I'm being an idiot, or venturing into unknown territory all I have to do is turn my head and  _you're right there beside me_." Those golden eyes were hypnotizing. "You're the friend that I actually get to keep. And that's why you're unique." 

He'd never thought about it like that before. He'd never been alone, Katara had been his constant companion until Aang, and even then he had barely gone a week without someone beside him. What he felt when Zuko said those words was a mixture of pride and tenderness. He could just imagine the little boy his friend had been, happy with the scraps of friendship from his sister and adopting her friends as his own. He wanted to protect him, now and back then.

"I.. Yes. I am." He finally gasped out.

"I know," Another soft smile. "And it has helped more than you know. So don't feel like you have to say anything. Just keep being the friend I can keep. Please."

As if he could refuse this quietly sincere man anything.

"Always," He said firmly. 

Zuko's eyelids fluttered closed, a tired smile on his face. He didn't let go of his friend's hand either. 

"Thank you." He whispered.

Sokka let him drift, blue eyes strangely alert. He didn't feel like sleeping at all, despite the emotional turmoil and the warm baths earlier. He just lay there watching his friend sink farther into sleep, arm falling asleep but unwilling to pull his hand away. 

__________________________

At some point during the night Sokka must have fallen asleep, because he was jerked awake quite suddenly by the opening and closing of their squeaky front door. He tried to sit up, but his left arm was numb and wouldn't support him. Instead of sitting up, alert and ready to confront whomever had entered their room, he flopped sideways on his useless arm and over the side of the bed. 

And landed right on Zuko, who had slept through the noisy door but couldn't sleep through being landed on by a fully grown water tribesman. To his credit, the fire lord was quick off the mark, and had Sokka in a choke hold before said water tribesman had acknowledged movement below him. Sokka grasped at the forearm cutting off his air with increased desperation. 

"...ko!!!" was all he could force out. The world was starting to go black around the edges...

And then the room exploded in laughter. 

It was enough to make Zuko snap out of it and let him go, and enough to break through Sokka's panic, although he couldn't stop his gasping breaths. Both men lay where they were in shock.

"Oh my, you young men are in such high spirits this morning!" A pleasant male voice cut through the shock. "It's so good to see you so happy, Zuko!"

Sokka turned his head and saw that of course, it was Zuko's uncle Iroh. The man looked positively excited that Sokka had nearly been strangled to death by his nephew. 

_Firebenders._

"Uncle!" and Zuko was up, embracing the old man and settling him in. Sokka lay where he was. He was recovering his breath still, thank you very much. 

"Stop pouting and get up, Sokka." came the fire lord's voice from across the room. "We need to pack and move out soon!"

The water bender sighed and pushed himself up. A hand came into his vision suddenly, and he looked up. Iroh was holding out his hand. Sokka accepted the help, and found himself on his feet instantly. The old man had some strength still. 

"Actually, nephew." Iroh said, as if nothing had happened. "I need to purchase a few things in town before we head out. May I borrow your young man?"

_Your young man??_

Zuko looked flummoxed too, his mouth falling open. But he recovered quickly and nodded.

"Of course. I'll just... stay here?"

"That would be best. You're too easily recognizable." Iroh either didn't see or ignored his nephew's rolled eyes. "We won't be too long, but just in case why don't we agree to meet at the ship just before noon." Iroh smiled and looked for all the world like a slightly vacant, cheerful old man. But Sokka knew better. He was almost expecting the sharp glance in his direction. "Come along, young man."

They set out for the market from the hotel. It wasn't far at all, but it felt like an eternity. Iroh had an air about him like he wanted to say something, but instead just stared meaningfully at the road in front of them with a small smile on his face. It was like standing on the edge of suspense the entire time and it was driving Sokka mad. 

He finally caved when they reached the main market square.

"Okay, what is it?" Maybe not the most tactful way to address his elders, his dad would have given him an earful. 

His outburst made Iroh's smile grow, until he was chuckling and patting Sokka on the shoulder. 

"Oh it's nothing, Ambassador." 

"Do people actually believe you when you say that?" Sokka asked before his brain could catch up with his mouth.

Iroh speared him with his sharp eyes.

"I'm just happy my nephew has found you. I haven't seen him this full of joy in a long time" A wistful smile. "And just so you know, I heartily approve. Don't worry about me." And then Iroh winked at him.

Okay, what in the name of moon and ocean?

"I think you're mistaken, sir." Oh there were the manners. Better late than never. "It sounds like you think that me and Zuko.. that we're.. um."

Again, Sokka felt the sharp edge of Iroh's gaze. The older man's eyes were more caramel than gold, but he could see the family resemblance. 

"Hmm." 

Iroh put his arm around Sokka's shoulders and steered him away from the merchant stalls, down a side street to a cafe.

"At the risk of sounding predictable," The old man said as he pushed the water bender down into a chair. "I think it's time we had some tea."

"Um. But what about the stuff we have to buy?"

"This is more important than finding Zuko some leather pants."

_I am not even going there._ Sokka let his head fall into his palm.  _The whole world is against me._

"No. It's not." Iroh stated, then smiled at the girl who came to take their tea order. 

"I said that out loud?"

"Two peach white teas please." Iroh told the girl, then smiled at Sokka. "I always find peach is a good flavour for giving and taking advice. It keeps things light and fresh."

What?

"Um."

"No. You didn't say it out loud. It was just obvious from your expression." Again, the enigmatic smile. "Your face hides nothing, young man."

"I know." Sokka sighed. 

"But then again, my nephew has the same problem. You two are more similar than you know." He accepted the tea, and cupped it in his hands. "I apologize for assuming you had moved beyond friendship. I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable?"

"Well. Not uncomfortable." Sokka took a sip of his own tea. It  _was_ light and fresh. "Flattered, maybe."

"Ah." Iroh chuckled. "I see."

"But why would you even think that? There are so many reasons why it wouldn't even be a possibility." 

"Oh yes? What kind of reasons?" Iroh seemed content with his tea. He watched Sokka from over his cup's rim, raising one eyebrow.

It was like talking to his gran gran. All leading questions and vague answers. 

"Well for one, he's married. And soon to be a father. And the fire lord. And-"

Iroh held up his hand. 

"That's enough. I see your point. And I had forgotten that we come from such vastly different backgrounds." He lowered his hand and sipped his tea. "In the fire nation, these things are not necessarily obstacles."

Sokka's mind blanked.

"What do you mean?" He asked carefully.

Iroh heaved a sigh. He put down his tea and leaned forward.

"In the fire nation, marriages are most often arranged. The bride and groom are matched by family and status. And although they have many opportunities to meet and socialize and even have the ability to refuse marriage, it is understood that love may not be possible. Compatibility is desired, but love is not required. Marriage is necessary and children are expected.  But if one or both partners find love at some point in their marriage, it is not unheard of for them to form other attachments."

Sokka blinked. No, that was not like the water tribe at all. 

"What happens then?" He asked in a small voice.

"Well. Depending on the person, they either continue their marriage or they don't. Both are common." 

"But Zuko.."

"He would not end his marriage." Iroh nodded like he was reading Sokka's mind. It was disconcerting. This entire conversation was disconcerting. "He is, I am proud to say, a better man than that. If he dissolved his marriage to Mai, she would be left without family and their baby removed from her care. Her only living relative, her uncle, is in prison. And because Zuko is fire lord, his heir would be raised by palace staff. They would never let that child live in less than ideal conditions with it's mother." 

Sokka felt like he'd been punched in the gut. The larger picture of what Zuko was going through hit him like a freight train. Of course Iroh was right, the fire lord  _was_ a good man. So good that his wife knew she could confess her new love to him and she would be safe. Even though it must have hurt him. He hadn't entered into an arranged marriage, he had married her for love. He had told Sokka last night he loved her still. 

"I see you're beginning to understand." Iroh set his tea cup down again. It was empty. "I'll let you know one more thing. Even though maybe I should leave it at that." He caught and held Sokka's eyes, gold to blue. "Zuko has been truthful with me. I know his marriage is a sham. But I also know his heart is not broken."

Sokka's tea was forgotten. He didn't know what to say. Zuko's words from last night rattled in his brain.

_Just be the friend I can keep. It has helped more than you know._

He swallowed. No, Zuko's heart _wasn't_ broken. He would have been able to tell. Iroh was right, the fire lord was just as hopeless at hiding what he felt. Sokka had most of his expressions and reactions memorized. No one watched him closer or spent more time with him. If Zuko had shown any signs at all of being heartbroken, Mai's attachment to her guard wouldn't have blindsided him. And neither would Zuko's confession last night of knowing about it come as such a surprise. 

And..

He.. was the reason?

A hand landed on his shoulder. Startled, he glanced up. Iroh was already standing. 

"Come on." The older man smiled gently. "That's enough thinking for now."

He threw down a couple coins and they left the cafe. 

\------------

Iroh seemed to be trying his best to distract his companion as they visited various merchants. Normally, Sokka would be all for a shopping trip. Especially with Iroh, the one person he's met who can get just as excited over spending hours browsing wares. But this time, he found himself lost in thought and quiet. He carried Iroh's purchases silently and followed him from shop to shop. 

"And then I jumped naked into the middle of the cake and ate my way out."

...wait.

"What?!"

A chuckle.

"I see you're back again. Here carry this too." Another package was thrust into his arms. "One more stop and we can head to the boat."

Sokka sighed. Zuko and Iroh were more alike than he'd known. Both instinctively knew how to break him out of a funk...

And then he smiled for the first time that day. 

"I'm an idiot."

"Hmmmm. If you say so." Iroh hummed as he sorted through long leather harnesses. 

"I am." Sokka laughed. "What is wrong with me?"

He got a stare and a raised eyebrow for that question. 

"Nevermind. Are we done yet?"

Iroh shook his head and went back to choosing harnesses. It took a while, the older fire bender enjoyed haggling prices almost as much as the merchants enjoyed overpricing their wares. 

Finally, they were on their way to the docks. Sokka couldn't wipe the smile off his face. 

Zuko knew him. Well enough to know how to distract him. Well enough to go slow, to give him space to freak out. Well enough to confide in him with no ulterior motive, to seek out his touch and touch in return. Well enough to know he'd be right there beside him, and when he fell behind...

Well enough to wait for him to catch up. 

_I am the stupidest smart person I've ever met._

The boat was much smaller than the battle cruisers the prince and his uncle had used to live on. It was manned by a sparse crew, who nodded to Iroh and Sokka when they boarded. They headed inside, down a flight of stairs. There was a long hallway with rooms on either side. Iroh walked to the end of the hall and turned the corner into a common room. Zuko was already there, looking bored sitting by himself on one of the couches. 

Sokka smiled at him. It may or may not have been a slightly manic smile. 

Zuko raised an eyebrow at all the packages that were placed on the long table. 

"What is all this, uncle?" He asked. 

Iroh just chuckled. 

"You'll see. I'll go make sure we're set to go. Sokka can you pack these up?" The older fire bender asked.

"Um. Yeah. Sure." Sokka said, distracted. His heart was pounding. 

Iroh clapped him on the back on his way out. Canny old fire bender.

Zuko still looked bored. He hadn't really glanced up at his friend and was instead staring at the purchases in front of him. He was just reaching out to touch one of them when Sokka grabbed his hand. 

Startled, his head shot up and their eyes met. The water bender leaned down, one hand on the back of the couch, the other still held his friend's. Zuko's eyes widened.

"Sokka.." he breathed.

And then they were kissing. 

....  _oh. yes. this._

_Why did I wait?_

If he hadn't been completely invested in the feeling of Zuko's soft lips against his own, Sokka would have congratulated himself. It felt like nothing he'd ever experienced before. Soft, but with strength. Breath mingling with his own tasting of spice and peaches and Zuko. The weak sound that escaped the fire bender's throat and the gentle hands that came up to frame his face. 

Both hands now on the back of the couch, forcing Zuko back. Another noise escaped his mouth and their lips parted, tongues meeting and tangling. There was no speech but there was a lot of communication. Sokka brought one of his hands up to Zuko's face, tracing his jaw and back into his hairline. 

It was more and less than he thought it would be. He knew Iroh would be back. And that he hadn't given Zuko a chance to say anything. And that he needed to breath at some point. But..

_Oh.._

It was perfect. 

Zuko's hands wandered down from his face to his hips and pulled. Before he knew it, he found himself straddling the fire lord and the angle was so much better and..

_Oh spirits.._

The whole length of their bodies could press against one another. And both of them were more than a little interested.

Sokka had to break his mouth away to gasp. And then all he could do was stare down at Zuko. The fire lord's eyes were closed, his lips reddened and his breath heavy. Slowly his golden eyes opened and then Sokka was pinned in his gaze. The hand that he had tangled in Zuko's long hair slowly let go and came to rest on his shoulder. 

_Look at him. I don't want to stop._

"Is this a dream?" A quiet whisper from the man beneath him. 

Sokka leaned forward until his forehead contacted with his friend's. His head was still spinning. 

"I don't think so," he couldn't help but tease. 

He was rewarded with Zuko pushing forward to initiate their second kiss. It was much shorter and sweeter. Just a brush of lips, gentle and unhurried. There was wonder in Zuko's eyes when he pulled away this time. 

"You.. what happened?" He tightened his fingers at Sokka's hips like he was expecting the other man to disappear. The water bender ran his fingers through his friend's hair, pulling out the tie and smoothing through messy tangles he himself had made. Then he pulled the whole thing back up and re-tied it. Zuko watched him through all of this, still waiting for an answer. 

"I..." The topknot was done. His hands fell down to the solid shoulders beneath him. He traced the lines of the fire lord's collar bones, just because he could. And marvelled again that he  _could._

"Sokka,"

"It's okay, Zuko." He smiled. "I'm okay. I'm not freaking out." He resisted running his hands back up through the now neat hair, but it was a near thing. "I figured it out. And I caught up." Zuko's heart was pounding beneath his hands as they travelled downwards. "I'm sorry I was so dense."

"Oh thank the spirits," came the rough reply and suddenly he was enveloped in strong arms. Zuko wasn't initiating another kiss or anything really other than holding him close. Sokka wrapped his arms around the other man's shoulders, pulling him closer. He could feel the fire lord's frame shaking. 

"It's okay." He whispered.

They both took a deep breath. 

In the silence, the scrape of a boot in the hallway was loud. 

Sokka sprung up, hastily smoothing his tunic. Zuko did the same, and grabbed a couple packages from the table before turning to the door. At the threshold, he stopped and looked back. 

He looked  _wrecked._ His cheeks were flushed and his eyes bright. 

_I did that._

Thoughts like that were dangerous. Sokka wasn't sure he looked any better, truth be told. 

"I'll... I'll pack these." Said the fire lord breathlessly. But he didn't move. 

The footsteps were coming closer. 

"Okay." Sokka replied.

And then he was across the room and they both moved at once and they were kissing again. Fast and fevered. There was too much left unsaid and no time to say it. 

"Okay." A gasp.

"Go." A push.

Zuko turned and left, barely avoiding his uncle in the hall.

Sokka couldn't move, he stood there and closed his eyes as Iroh entered the room. 

There was silence, then a hand on his back, turning him and pushing him back towards the table. 

"Come help me sort this stuff." The old fire bender huffed. "Sit."

Sokka opened his eyes and sat. Iroh threw the harnesses at him. 

"Here. Coil those." A chuckle. "And you might want to wipe that look off your face before we face the crew."

Sokka felt his face flame. 

_It was worth it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.  
> This has been weighing on my mind since I started this story.  
> Relationships are complicated. Even more so when kids are involved. I've really struggled with a way to keep the boys in character (neither one would hurt someone on purpose, however we all know they're meant to be together..) and also respect Mai and her wishes (because she's a kick ass character and I like her.)  
> So, there was a hint earlier about Mai and her personal guard. I hope that Iroh has helped clear up a bit of that. And also while this budding relationship with Zuko and Sokka really starts to take off, I hope I've cleared the way enough.  
> Or maybe it's just me that cares and I could have had them banging in chapter two. (no not really. But 30k words later and we just get to their first kiss..is a little crazy I'll admit haha)  
> Let me know what you think, I'm really genuinely curious. 
> 
> And thank you for your comments! :) They brighten my day.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some shenanigans before leaving for the next leg of the journey...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this isn't as long as it could have been, but I wanted to get it out, since it has been mostly written for a week now.   
> I hope you enjoy it! This was a fun part to write.. :)
> 
> Happy Valentine's day!

Iroh helped him pack up two large bags full of miscellaneous items. The mindless work, coiling harnesses and ropes and folding leather sheets, helped bring his heartbeat down to something approaching normal. He was even able to keep up a bit of mindless chatter as they worked. 

As the adrenaline started to fade, his brain started to wake up again. And it wouldn't stop replaying everything that had happened. Every breath, every touch, every word.

_There hadn't been many of those._

He knew they had to sit down, talk, figure out what this was and where it was going. 

His brain was more than willing to travel down every path it could think of. Good, bad, horrible; All in explicit detail. Curse his overactive and especially vivid imagination. 

 _I told Zuko I wasn't freaking out._ He huffed.  _Stop freaking out!_

He rubbed at his face roughly, then blinked. Iroh was watching him. 

Um.

"Did you say something?" He hazarded.

"Hmm. Yes." The older fire bender smiled smugly. "I was just saying that I could use your help later. Tonight, when the baths close, I'm going to meet a contact there. He will help us on the next leg of our journey."

"Me?"

"Yes," Iroh sighed. "Although I am sure I am worrying for nothing, it would make me feel better to have a water bender by my side."

"A water bender? Do you think there will be trouble?" Sokka frowned. "Who are you meeting anyways?"

A chuckle from the other side of the table was his only answer. 

"Really? Nothing?" He sighed.

"I can't reveal my contact's identity. He's taking a great risk even talking to me. I can say that I don't think there will be trouble, no. But just in case I'm wrong, I'd rather have a back up plan."

"I don't know that I'm the greatest back up plan to have. My bending is not reliable. I'm more liable to freeze the bath water with us still inside it than do anything actually helpful." Sokka said dryly. 

It was true. And he'd never been tested beyond Katara's exercises and Aang's playful teasing. As the Plan Guy, he could already tell this wasn't a sound plan. 

"Never the less. A water bender is what I require." Iroh smiled his inscrutable smile. Sokka could tell he wasn't going to get much else out of the man, so he just nodded his head. 

"Alright. If you need me, I'm there." He gestured with a skein of rope. "But I'm trusting you on this. It makes me all levels of nervous to be walking blind into a situation that might turn bad. Especially if you're relying on my for something specific."

"As it should." Iroh nodded, pleased. "If I could tell you more I would. Thank you, Sokka."

"Don't thank me yet." He sighed. 

"Nonsense. You underestimate yourself." The older fire bender chuckled. "I honestly thought it was going to take you  _weeks_ to figure out what we talked about earlier."

Sokka felt his cheeks heating. He had a sudden urge to go.. well. Get out of the room, anyways. If Iroh needed him, he would have him. That did not mean he wanted to sit here and discuss anything else with the smug old man. 

He was just about to open his mouth and make his excuses (although he had no idea what he would actually say) when Iroh held up a hand. 

"Peace, young man. I didn't mean to make you embarrassed. I forget sometimes, that you are so young." He didn't seem sorry. "How about we do some basic practice? To pass the time and to take your mind off of things, hmmm?"

Okay that sounded not so bad. Kind of a good idea even. 

"Sure."

"Come on then. There's no water down here." Iroh got up and walked out of the room, Sokka following. 

The made their way up to the deck. The sun was out, the water clear. There were two crewmen on the deck, both just standing near the bow. They gave off an aura of silent alertness. Obviously, Iroh had not travelled without a protective detail, unlike his nephew. Sokka approved. 

Speaking of Zuko, there was no sign of him anywhere. Sokka wanted to know how he was doing, it felt like an itch in the back of his skull. Like his brain wouldn't be calm without evidence the fire lord was okay. 

Well, that wasn't exactly new. 

But now it also felt like his heart wasn't going to stop leaping up to his throat randomly until he knew the answer. His eyes scanned the deck again, but nothing.

Iroh stopped in the middle of the deck and turned towards him. 

"Since you have such a low estimate of your abilities, let's start slow." He said, widening his stance. "I'll make fire, you put it out."

Seemed safe enough...

Until the first fireball whizzed by his head.

"I thought you said we were starting slow?!!" He shrieked. 

"We are!" Iroh laughed. "I didn't hit you, did I? I won't aim at you until we're sure you can block."

Sokka gritted his teeth. Then he moved his feet and hands in the graceful movements Katara taught him and braced himself. 

Another fireball flew by. They were going too fast. The movements he knew for controlling water were gentle and slow. He knew Katara could defend herself, she was wicked fast. And Aang could have lifted this whole ship up with a wave and drenched them all. Sokka managed a bucketful of water and missed his target. 

Okay, no. Speed was not his thing. Maybe power?

When the next fireball headed his way, he gathered the energy he could and just pushed it outwards. What looked like a flurry of snow erupted from his person. It was visually spectacular, swirling and sparkling with ice crystals. But it did nothing at all to stop the fire. Again, it shot past him and out into the bay.

He snorted through his nose. He could feel an almost inexhaustible power inside himself. He just couldn't access much of it at one time. He needed another plan. 

"Again." he said.

This time, instead of the flow and movement of water that Katara favoured, or the sheer power of Aang, he just closed his eyes and did what felt natural. Instantly, he felt a layer of water and ice coat his right hand. He clenched his fist and didn't dodge the fireball. He opened his eyes and charged right at it. 

Distantly, he heard his name shouted from the other side of the deck. 

The layer around his fist was kinetic; upon impact, it spread out and enveloped the fireball, until there was nothing left.

He let out a bark of laughter. It was mirrored with a chuckle from his opponent. 

"Very nice." Iroh had a gleam in his eye that instantly put Sokka on edge. "Let's start the real practice now."

And that was all the warning he got. 

Suddenly he remembered that Iroh was no lightweight bender.

_Ohshit._

Instantly, Iroh was shooting fireballs from his hands and feet as he danced around, doing moves that should have been impossible at his age. Sokka used his ice water on all four limbs, forced to dance as well. It was frightening and exhilarating at the same time. Things were happening so fast, it was almost a blur. That he could keep up at all was a miracle. 

This energy he was pulling from his core felt like a part of him. This was a very big deal indeed. Through all the training he'd done with his sister and Aang, through all the unintentional manifestations, it had never felt like him. It had been a thing that lived inside of him that he had very little control over. That's why he wasn't fast. And why he couldn't access much power. He had been asking, tentative, expecting to have issues. He hand't been Sokka, water bender. He'd been a guy with weird powers thrust upon him against his will.

He knew, since Katara had told him often enough, that water bending in particular relied on balance. Push and pull, moon and ocean. Heart and mind. He must have found some sort of balance, because all of a sudden it was so much easier.

His spirit felt like it was weightless. 

Iroh got closer and closer, until he was inside Sokka's reach. He transformed the fireballs into fire daggers, and kept the dance going. Sokka moulded some ice into a long spear of crystal that he used to meet his opponent's blades as though they were sword fighting. As soon as he did, he felt even more confident. Swords were his thing. He pushed back against Iroh's offence, actually getting a few good moves in. 

In fact, he was doing so well that he started to see the older fire bender falter. 

Sokka knew he wasn't strong enough to defeat Iroh. If it had been a real fight, he would have had his ass handed to him a couple minutes in. But where he got a whole new burst of energy when sword fighting, it looked to be Iroh's weakness. The fire daggers were meant to get in close and disable: in and out before the opponent was really aware. Sokka had trapped the fire bender without meaning to by driving him backwards with renewed vigour. 

Finally, Iroh let one fire dagger shoot past his shoulder as a distraction and executed a neat back flip. Sokka could only assume he landed safely a few feet away, because he couldn't see anything past Zuko. 

The fire lord had taken up his fire sword, the same one he had perfected for their sparring back at the palace before all this water bending stuff. It pushed against his ice sword, and where they met there was a hiss of steam. 

Their eyes met over the crossed swords. Zuko smirked.

They had always been in tune with each other, even in the early days. As soon as they started to spar, it had been obvious. At first, in those early days of mistrust, it had been tied up in the desire to defeat the other. Each pushing and reaching and aggressive. Then it started to slowly morph into a test of skill and then into the thrill of lifting the other up. Sokka knew he was his best when he had Zuko as his foil. No matter how skilled he had gotten under his sword Master, he knew that the ease and joy he found with his weapon was directly correlated to time spent sparring the fire lord. Their sword play resembled nothing less than a dance. 

Now, it felt like his body was flying. 

Back and forth across the deck they sparred. Sokka could feel a joyous smile stretching his face. 

He wasn't even looking at Zuko's blade. He was caught in the fire lord's flashing gold eyes and couldn't look away. Yet his body reacted and anticipated the other's movements and their weapons met again and again. He almost forgot where he was, that they had an audience. Everything fell away, like curtains or tapestries or something gauzy anyways. His whole world was in Zuko's eyes and Zuko's smile. 

At least this was his excuse when he suddenly spun himself away from the longer reach of his friend's fire sword and over the side of the boat.

There were a lot of things that could have happened at this point. If he'd been Katara, no doubt he would have been able to recover, pulling water from the ocean below to support and push him back on the deck, sword in hand ready for the next parry. If he was Aang, he probably would have been floating on air, laughing, just outside the fire lord's reach like it had been all a part of his plan. Toph simply wouldn't have fallen off the cursed boat to begin with.

Since he was Sokka, he yelped and fell into the water with a great splash, loosing his ice sword. 

Luckily, for him, his ice defence came to his rescue again and he ended up floating on a largish chunk of the stuff. Sitting up, he checked himself. He was rather bewildered and soaking wet, but mostly intact. 

Unlike his pride.

Above him, Zuko's head and shoulders appeared over the railing.

"So does this mean you concede?" the fire lord had on his best cheeky smile.

Sokka let out a wordless cry of frustration and threw himself back down on the floating ice, glaring at the sky.

"You may be in the better position at this time, o great fire lord.."

"Oh I do like the sound of that." snarked said lord.

"But you can't deny this is a hollow victory." he gestured to the sky with one finger to make his point. "As it wasn't you who beat me this time."

"Oh? And how do you figure that, exactly?"

"It was I!" he shouted. "I betrayed myself, snatching victory from my own hands with one fell swoop of clumsiness!" And okay, maybe he was a little loopy. Time to get his butt back on the boat and try to save as much of his dignity as possible.

"I don't know, I rather like this look on you." And oh spirits he knew that voice. Instantly his wandering eyes snapped back to Zuko's face. The look his friend was giving him was almost.. predatory. "Spread out, soaking wet on a chunk of ice? It's almost water tribe porn, isn't it?"

From behind the fire lord came a loud coughing choke.

Dignity was overrated. And apparently beyond his grasp at this point anyways.

"Um." He replied, eloquent as always when faced with this side of his friend. 

Zuko just laughed. 

"Get back up here. You need to get changed."

Sokka gave him the eyebrow. It was not very effective. So he stood up on the ice (no small feat) and did as he was told.

It took a few minutes of walking on slippery ice stepping stones to reach the rope ladder so he could pull himself up. Again, something his friends wouldn't have even needed to think about. If he wasn't already a sword master, Sokka might have let that little thought grow into a big insecurity. He was glad he was above that suff. Well... mostly.

Back on the deck, he dripped in misery. If he hand't been a strong water tribesman, he was sure his teeth would have been chattering. He clenched them tighter. A blanket appeared on his shoulders, along with warm hands that got even warmer. Fire benders are really handy to have in the cold.

Suddenly, a body was pressed against his back, and of course..moon and ocean!.. of course the maddening man could fire bend his  _whole body_ warm.

NOT thinking about fire bender blankets.  

"Thank you," he managed. All he got in reply was a huff of air in his ear and slight movement of thumbs along his shoulder blades making him shiver. The heat moved and Zuko appeared in front of him.

"Cold still?" And even the fire lord's breath was warmed, actual licks of flame appearing between his teeth. 

Breathing fire really should _not_ be sexy.

Another coughing fit behind him distracted Sokka long enough to recover his brain from his pants.

"No!" he squeaked. Cleared his throat. "No. I'm fine. Good. Thank you." He gave a smile he hoped would pass muster. 

"I am proud of you, Sokka." Another voice cut through. "I have no doubts now that you will be extremely useful tonight." Iroh looked like he had recovered from his coughing fit.

Zuko frowned at this.

"Uncle, what are you planning?"

Iroh looked smug and inscrutable. 

"Just something I think will help you on your journey. I also need to borrow the ambassador for an hour or so."

Thunderclouds started to gather behind Zuko's eyes. He had never been very good at being kept in the dark.

"Uncle.."

"And on that note, I'm going to go change." Sokka interrupted, turning from the pair of them. He took two steps and then turned back. "Um. Which room are our bags in?"

"Let me show you," Zuko grabbed his hand and pulled him below deck, ignoring the chuckle from his uncle.

They walked hand in hand down the narrow corridor. Sokka could feel his heart pounding in his ears, both of their unsteady breaths and their boots on the hard wooden flooring. They stopped at a plain door.

"Here we are." Zuko breathed.

Despite the tension almost crackling between them, neither man seemed to want to push any farther. They only had a few moments alone, Sokka told himself. There was no sense in starting something that he couldn't finish. And he didn't want to rush and leave them both unhappy and unsatisfied. He wanted to do this right. 

Then he glanced at his friend beside him.

Zuko's face was achingly unsure. Almost scared. Except that couldn't be right, he was the fire lord for crying out loud! He faced down scarier characters on a daily basis. He wasn't scared of anything! Not when he'd been the angry jerk, not when he'd joined team avatar, not when he was crowned fire lord. 

Sokka watched his friend swallow, tracked the movement of his throat. 

"Zuko," He started. He needed to tell his friend how he had nothing to fear when they were together. That there was literally nothing he could do to push Sokka away, or annoy him or disgust him or whatever it was that was running through his mind. He needed to tell him that he loved the idiot, that he had been in love for so long it was strange to think about a time when he wasn't in love. He wanted to reassure and comfort and heal.

Then he took a deep breath and acted instead.

He leaned in and gently set their foreheads together. Breathing the same breath, he stared into those bright golden eyes and slowly let his face relax into a soft smile. He felt a hand at his waist and reciprocated, pushing slightly so that they were leaning back against the door. He kept his eyes open long enough to see Zuko's flutter closed. Then he moved the few centimetres between them and their lips met again and it was even better than the first time. 

_Only kissing. Only kissing!_

Only kissing, but Sokka felt like his whole body was on fire. The feeling started where their lips met and travelled like lightning to his core. Despite that, he moved slowly. He meant it to be a soft kiss, a brush of lips to wipe the look of uncertainty from his friend's face. He tried to stay gentle.

Zuko wouldn't let him. 

The fire bender brought his hands abruptly up to cup his face and held him still as he plundered his mouth. Sokka couldn't help the groan that escaped. He ignored his wet clothes and lost himself in the kiss. Their tongues met and danced. Breath came harsh, hastily gasped between movements as they could. He found himself gripping Zuko's waist, pinning the other man to the door. Far from complaining, the fire bender simply used the leverage to hitch one leg higher, bringing their bodies into alignment and forcing a low sound from both. 

Oh spirits. 

Sokka felt helpless to resist. The taste of Zuko on his tongue was addictive, the little sounds he made, the smell of his skin. It was all too much and not enough at the same time. 

A door slammed open down the hall. The two men broke their kiss but didn't move away from each other.

"Nephew! We need you up here." Came a voice. Iroh of course. 

_Meddling,_ _inconvenient, nosy old man.._

"Agni help me," whispered Zuko against his lips. Sokka leaned in to taste again.

"Nope. It's just your uncle with the  _worst timing_ I've ever seen." he groused when he finally drew back for breath. Zuko gave a sigh and kissed him again, which did nothing to cool his ardour. Another kiss before moving their bodies apart.  Slowly, they separated. Neither wanted to stop touching.

"Ambassador, you as well, as soon as you've changed." Iroh added, then banged the door open again on his way out. 

The two men looked at each other, hands touching. They laced their fingers together. Sokka was reminded of the hot springs yesterday, and the feeling of his hands being stroked and squeezed. It did things to him now that were not relaxing in the slightest. 

He cleared his throat.

"I'm going to.. um.."

"Yes! Yes. And I'll..."

Once again, reduced to nonsense. It was becoming an alarmingly regular occurrence. It was ridiculous, really. But it brought smiles to their faces. One turned and left, the other opened the door in front of him and escaped to the room beyond. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments! <3 I'm still having a lot of fun with this story, and I'm glad you lot like it too. :)
> 
> PS - Iroh has nothing against his nephew and the ambassador showing their affections.. ;) he just has a schedule to keep.   
> More info on that in the next chapter! Thanks for reading! :D


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who is doing what now? And the intro of another OC.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter. Getting past some blockages (see end notes for more details).

The hot springs were just as nice this time around as they were the first time. After being soaked in cold ocean water earlier that day, Sokka gratefully sank down into the steaming water with a sigh. 

He also carefully faced away from where Iroh was lounging back against some rocks, naked and uncaring.

"So.. ah.. when can we expect this contact of yours?" He asked, eyes scanning the entrance. A splash behind him told him that the older fire bender had entered the pool properly.

_Oh thank the spirits._

"Soon," Came the reply. There was more splashing as Iroh settled on to the underwater shelf and immersed himself. "You young people have no patience." 

Sokka sighed. He actually DID have patience. Heaps of it. He just got a little antsy when he didn't know what to expect from a situation. Especially when he was supposed to play an integral part, apparently. 

"Did I ever tell you about the time I fell asleep at a hot springs?" 

Sokka stared at the older fire bender. His grey hair was wet and slicked back from his face, and the most serene expression was on his face. 

"I... um. No."

"Hmmm. My wife didn't even realize until the water started to get hot enough to boil." His amber eyes slit open and flashed at the water bender. "Apparently I had been having a very  _nice_ dream."

It was a rare thing that Sokka couldn't find his voice to comment. He sat and stared at the flash of white teeth bared from the  _absolutely infuriating_ old man's smile. His mouth opened like he was going to say something, but he had honestly no idea what he could possibly say to that!

It was subtle, but a sudden change in ease of Iroh's position told Sokka they weren't alone anymore. He probably wouldn't have caught the tell if he hadn't been staring at the fire bender so intently. His eyes moved to the entrance. 

A shadow moved within the overhang. A few minutes later and they could hear water running in the shower area and then the pad of wet bare feet in their direction. 

As the figure stepped into the light, Sokka's breath caught. 

It was a woman. Naked, of course, which almost derailed all of his though until he forced himself to remember this was a mission and he was the backup! The woman looked to be near Iroh's age, if not older. Her hair was long and grey and her skin wrinkled, but her eyes were sharp. She took in the two of them quickly and seemed pleased. A smile stretched across her face that resembled that of a predator more than a sweet old woman.

Sokka knew nothing of her, but he didn't trust her already. 

"There you are, my dear." Iroh smiled genuinely. He stood and offered his hand. The woman took it delicately and entered the hot spring. 

Watching the two of them, Sokka thought they would not have been out of place at the palace together. Clothed, of course. Although their lack of clothing didn't seem to be bothering them at all at the moment.

"Iroh," The woman nodded. "I was a little surprised to get your message. To be frank, I had expected you to stick close to the young fire lord in light of the current situation."

Her eyes seemed to take everything in, flashing behind lowered lashes. 

"Ah, my dear. You know me so well." The older fire bender chuckled. "Are you saying that I have reason to be worried?"

"Nothing of the sort." She waved one well manicured hand in dismissal. "I'm sure I couldn't comment one way or the other."

"Of that I have my doubts," Iroh chuckled. The woman's predator smile stretched wider.

"Oh pish and tosh. None of that, you old firestarter." And then her eyes pinned Sokka in place. "And who is this handsome young thing?"

"Er.."

"This is Sokka. He's the water tribe ambassador at the palace, and a very good friend of my nephew's as well." Iroh smoothly interceded. "Sokka, this is Lady Mira."

"Hmm. He's strangely mute." Lady Mira grinned, showing her canines. "Tell me, boy. Do I intimidate you?"

_Yes!_

"Er. No, ma'am. I am merely here to support Iroh. I thought it rude to interrupt." Sokka managed to pull out of his ass. He was sure the Lady wasn't fooled, but he had tried. 

"Well. Iroh. Needing support in his dotage? I guess that's slightly believable."

"Oh yes," Iroh chuckled and winked at Sokka. "I have this terrible habit of falling asleep in public baths. Without young Sokka, I'm afraid I would simply drift away."

If it wouldn't ruin his already shredded dignity, Sokka would have buried his reddening face in his hands. 

Both fire nation nobles shared a laugh at his expense. It seemed genuine enough, but it was short lived.

"Now. I know you wouldn't have called me all this way just to make me laugh." Lady Mira sobered and turned her attention back to the older fire bender. "Out with it, Iroh. What's got your knickers in a twist this time?"

"I am, as you correctly insinuated, concerned for my nephew." Iroh leaned back against the rocks, seemingly casual. "I need to know how ... concerned... I have to be."

The Lady pursed her lips.

"I like you, Iroh. I always have." She started. "And because I like you, I'll be completely honest." She leaned forward to braid her long hair, obscuring her face. "I have heard rumours that the fire lord has taken a bit of a vacation. These rumours don't go far, they're stomped out almost as soon as they're uttered. But they're still there. If one was to listen carefully enough, one would almost think that the ruler of the fire nation had gone missing." A pause. "I will tell you that people are listening. The wrong people. They've also been able to discover that the fire lord's uncle has left his home in the earth nation to travel back here. These two occurrences have led them to believe that something is going on behind their backs and they are not happy at all." Her shrewd eyes pierced the older fire bender. "You wouldn't happen to know what that could be, do you?"

"Hmm. I may." Iroh smiled still, his body relaxed. "Is there anything else you can tell me?"

Lady Mira sighed. 

"The group you are concerned about are genuine. They have the ear of the benders, all are master status at least. You would need to pull something pretty impressive to change the direction of the inquiries they've raised." She watched the other carefully. "The threats they make are not all hot air. They can take away all of your nephew's credibility if they have a mind to." She paused again. "However. Their plan is not close to fruition. From what I've witnessed, they are in no hurry. There is no immediate threat." She frowned. "I would not take them for granted, though. Watch your back at all times. Just because I haven't heard of one, doesn't mean they don't have a plan for you as well. It would be prudent to take steps to protect yourself."

"Thank you for your concern, Mira old girl." Iroh sat up. "And thank you for the information. You have helped immensely." He rested one hand on her shoulder. "Please, keep the room for as long as you want. I've taken care of it."

And with that, he rose to leave. Sokka quickly followed, trying to seem like he had any clue what was going on. 

"You're leaving?!" the shocked voice behind them made Iroh pause. Only Sokka was in any position to see the secret satisfied smile on his face. He placed a look of polite inquiry over top and turned back to the irate Lady.

"Yes my dear. I have what I need, and will not trouble you further."

"You sneaky bastard." the Lady growled. "He's here isn't he?!" She stood and walked toward them. "What do you have planned, General?"

"My Lady. You presume too much."

"I do nothing of the sort." Her eyes were like fire. "You've brought your nephew this far, smuggled him out right under the entire court's noses." The air seemed to warm. "I ask you again,  _WHAT DO YOU HAVE PLANNED?!_ " 

Hot air and fire whipped around this small old lady, who stood feet planted and eyes blazing. Sokka felt the hairs on his arms singed. He was starting to understand why Iroh had thought to bring him along as back up. He let a little bit of his own power loose in the air, just enough to cool his own skin. He was not as comfortable as the other two with high temperatures and flame. 

Iroh widened his stance, buffeted by the Lady's anger.

"My dear, do not do this. I cannot tell you what I have planned. For the love of my nephew I cannot take the risk."

The fire tornado became unstable, wobbling unsteadily as it's axis gasped for breath. Slowly the Lady brought her anger back in check. There was silence.

"Mira?"

"Fine." the Lady snapped. Her frame seemed older and frail. "You cannot tell me. But you can show me."

"I -"

The Lady drew herself up to her full height. She was impressive in strength of will if not in stature.

"Take me with you."

Iroh was silent for a moment, then nodded. 

"As long as you promise to abide by me, you will be welcome." He conceded.

Turning away once again, he shot a quick wink at Sokka. 

"We leave in the morning. Meet us at my ship, and dress sensibly."

Though his head was spinning and he hadn't understood much of what had just occurred, Sokka couldn't help but think he had just witnessed a very polite (and successful) con. 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all. I know I've been absent for a bit. I wanted to put this note at the end of the chapter so it wouldn't take away from the further adventures of the dorks in love (tm), but rl kicked my butt. I recently separated from my spouse for a whole shit tonne of reasons, which is what it is.. but it was really hard to come back to this story with it's sweet kind of puppy love vibe it had going and write it authentically. I had to find that space again where such a thing was even possible, you know.  
> BUT the best thing is that I love this universe and I love these characters. :) So this story will live on.


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